Justice Ministry Committee and the Advocate for Justice Ministries
Becoming a Matthew 25 Church
Becoming a Matthew 25 Church
The Presbytery of New York City recently hosted the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, President and Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. She shared the vision for a Matthew 25 church with us. Matthew 25 provides a vision, rooted in Scripture and General Assembly policy that will:
  • Connect and unite the PC(USA), creating a spark that energizes and joins us in our common mission together
  • Celebrate and call forth churches that actively engage the world
  • Clarify our understanding as Presbyterian Christians that we are “saved to serve”
 
Congregations become Matthew 25 congregations by committing to follow Jesus in discipleship that embraces one or more of these three focuses:
  • Building Congregational Vitality
  • Dismantling Structural Racism
  • Eradicating Systemic Poverty
 
“We already do that,” you may say. Many congregations in the Presbytery of New York City have embraced such ministry. Thirty-one of our congregations are part of the Vital Congregation Initiatives. Others work daily to address the causes and effects of structural racism and systemic poverty. The Matthew 25 vision then serves to strengthen our witness to Christ as we make connections in the presbytery and the larger church, clarify our understanding of who we are and what we are called to do, and challenge ourselves to grow in discipleship.
 
Congregations and mid councils that make the Matthew 25 commitment agree to share stories about how the congregation or community has been impacted or changed, how they have found a new purpose in ministry, how their faith as disciples has been energized.  
 
What’s next?
Resources to become a Matthew 25 church are available from the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
 
To receive an electronic copy of the PowerPoint presentation used by the Rev. Dr. Moffett during her visit, contact Mark Koenig .
 
Three upcoming events in the life of the Presbytery will help us learn about becoming a Matthew 25 church.

The Rev. Denise Anderson, coordinator for racial and intercultural justice with the Presbyterian Ministry Agency, will join us at the September 28, 2019 Stated Meeting at Holmes Camp and Conference Center.
 
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has produced the first feature-length documentary about the Flint water crisis.  "Flint: The Poisoning of an American City" will premiere in Flint on September 12. Later that month, or in October, the film will be screened in five cities, including New York, and will be released in Video on Demand on November 5. The New York City event date will be announced as soon as it is set.  Learn more about the film .   Watch the trailer .   Subscribe to updates  about the film and screenings from PDA. 
 
On November 16, 2019 , the Justice Ministries Committee will hold the second annual advocacy training day: Becoming a Matthew 25 Church: Tools for Advocacy. The Rev. Emily Brewer, executive director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (which helped prepare the overture to General Assembly), will be the preacher. Workshop leaders will come from the Office of Public Witness, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, and local partner organizations working on justice issues. Thanks to First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York for hosting the event again. 

For more information about any of these events contact Mark Koenig