MATTHEW 25
PTCA as a Matthew 25 Presbytery
On March 16, 2019, the Presbytery acted at the recommendation of the Moderator and the Presbytery Leadership Team (PLT) to commit to the Matthew 25 initiative of our denomination.
Becoming a Matthew 25 presbytery “calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Convicted by this passage, both the 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) exhorted the PC(USA) to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned or poor. By accepting the Matthew 25 invitation, [our presbytery] can help our denomination become a more relevant presence in the world. We recognize Christ’s urgent call to be a church of action, where God’s love, justice and mercy shine forth and are contagious. And we rejoice how our re-energized faith can unite all Presbyterians for a common and holy purpose: our common identity to do mission.”
As a presbytery accepting this Matthew 25 commitment, “we do hereby commit to become a Matthew 25 mid council. We pledge to…embrace these areas of focus: 1) Building congregational vitality; 2) Dismantling structural racism; and 3) Eradicating systemic poverty. We promise to keep track of the impact of our ministry and share our stories with the PC(USA) from time to time.”
The PTCA has especially focused on the call to dismantle structural racism, through our Institutional Assessment for Race and Equity and the Anti-Racism Spiritual Pilgrimage. But there is so much more work to be done, as we endeavor to live into the words and spirit of Matthew 25.