CHICAGO, IL (May 6, 2010) – The May issue of The Covenant Companion explores the church’s call to embody unity.

In the cover story, Daniel de Roulet introduces a series on civility by identifying our society’s struggle to define the term. It’s easy to recognize incivility, he says, but what exactly does it mean to treat each other civilly? “Who we are and what we do – not what we think – is our Christian witness to the world,” de Roulet reminds us. “The hard work of learning to practice civility with each other is where others will most likely see our Christian witness, and through the witness, for better or for worse, they will decide the worth of what we profess.”

The Covenant affirms the church as a fellowship of believers, “characterized by mutual participation in and sharing of the new life in Christ.” Covenant forebears said, “The doors of the church are wide enough to admit all who believe and narrow enough to exclude those who do not.” In “Finding Place in this Church,” readers describe how they came to the Covenant – and what unfolds is a rich tapestry of the varied threads that make up the church.

In “The Revealing Work of the Holy Spirit,” the magazine continues its Seasons of the Christian Life series, celebrating the seasons of Easter and Pentecost.

A lived expression of the power of Christian love to change our communities is found in “Offering a Healing Presence.” Pastor Chris Haydon describes how his church in Salem, Oregon, transforms their space into a free medical clinic each month.