Next online Matthew 25 event focuses on eradicating poverty

Sept. 16 event will explore this question: Where in your church can you take action to address systemic poverty?

by Melody K. Smith | Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — The third event in an ongoing series around the Matthew 25 vision is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 16. This online event will address eradicating systemic poverty, one of the three focuses of the Matthew 25 vision along with building congregational vitality and dismantling structural racism.

This event will model the first two Matthew 25 events with facilitated dialogue, guest speakers and the sharing of resources.

“There are structures in our society that serve to perpetuate the status of people living in poverty,” said the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. “A crucial part of our worship and mission as Christians is to ‘see’ people who are enmeshed in the throes of poverty and respond with compassion and a determination to uncover and eliminate the root causes of poverty.”

The invitation to become a Matthew 25 church was officially launched in April 2019. Over a year later, there are almost 650 churches, groups and mid councils that have made the commitment to become a Matthew 25 church. This represents over 6,300 congregations across the country that have received the invitation and have been engaged in this bold vision. “It is our hope that all 9,040 Presbyterian congregations will join and live into the Matthew 25 vision,” said Moffett.

This online event is open to everyone — all Matthew 25 congregations, groups and mid councils that have made the commitment to embrace the Matthew 25 vision, as well as anyone interested in learning more about Matthew 25.

“Poverty is complex and overlaps with many other social ills and oppressive structures in our society,” said Moffett. “In a developed society such as ours, poverty also means a lack of access to social goods such as education that are essential for employment, as well as other measures of dignity, freedom and participation in communal life.”

To register for the Matthew 25 event, click here. All attendees are encouraged to mark their calendars now and plan to learn how each congregation and mid council can go deeper with Matthew 25, especially during this challenging time.