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Genesis Covenant
Vision statement
By daily embracing mutual trust and respect, we partner with God and one another to heal a broken world.
Mission Statement
The Mission of Genesis of Ann Arbor is to exemplify interfaith understanding, cooperation, and friendship, and, through its board, to steward its shared space in ways that strengthen St. Clare’s Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth and the broader community.
Guiding Principles Preamble
Genesis of Ann Arbor fulfills its mission by following its Guiding Principles. The Guiding Principles cover how the member congregations work together as well as how Genesis works with its guests, renters, and employees, and the broader community. These principles direct Genesis's decision making and describe the kind of welcoming, service-oriented environment it strives to provide.
Guiding Principles: Genesis Partnership
Strong Relationships
With our faith communities. We recognize that for relationships to be strong, they must be cultivated. We seek opportunities to work for justice, to celebrate, to learn, and to deepen our understanding of one another. We teach our congregations about the Genesis partnership.
With our employees and the broader community. We operate Genesis with integrity and fairness toward those who work for us, provide us with services, and use our facility.
With our leadership. Congregational leaders serve as stewards of our respective goals, programs, and hopes, and of the interfaith integrity of the partnership.
Mutual Respect. We honor each congregation’s unique religious identity, traditions, and goals.
Joint Decision Making. We strive to cultivate a spirit of open communication and cooperation that is mutually beneficial and promotes one another’s best interests. We seek to understand the effects of our decisions on others.
Equity. We acknowledge that Genesis is a partnership between equals, and we make efforts to ensure that the costs and benefits of this relationship are borne in a way that is equitable and reasonable to both parties.
Welcoming Community. Genesis provides a welcoming and supportive environment for our congregants as well as the broader community, especially low- and no-revenue nonprofit groups. We share our spirit of understanding and respect for others by seeking opportunities to partner with those who differ from us.
Guiding Principles: Genesis Board
Excellent Service. We strive to provide excellent service to the congregations, renters, and guests. We provide a clean, welcoming space and ensure that the building is ready for use. We help the congregations to negotiate space sharing so that each congregation can fulfill its needs.
Responsible Stewardship. We use and care for the building wisely. We consider our impact on the environment both in operating our facility and when making purchases and improvements. We continually strive to minimize greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of our facility becoming carbon neutral. We plan for the future of our shared property and take steps to ensure the financial well-being of the Genesis partnership.
Collaborative Decision Making. We strive to make decisions by consensus. We actively consult with those affected and experts, as needed, to make well-informed, well-considered decisions. We regularly report board activities to our respective congregational boards.
Just and Fair Treatment of Employees. We use employment practices that uphold the values of our religious communities.
Effective Operations. We respect the autonomy of member congregations and work with them in a consultative, collaborative way to ensure smooth operations. We train board members in our vision, mission, and guiding principles. We maintain and follow guidelines set forth in a policy and procedure manual.
Involved Clergy. We prioritize the freedom of the clergy and the congregations to pursue their respective activities in the facility. We consult the rabbi and rector about the use of the building and recognize the important role of clergy leadership to fulfill their congregations’ missions.
The original Covenant was adopted by the Genesis Board on June 18, 2015 and subsequently adopted by each member congregation.
This 2024 Renewal was adopted by the Genesis Board on May 13, 2024.