…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me… -Matthew 25:35-37
Convicted by this passage in Matthew, Presbyterian (USA) General Assemblies in 2016 and 2018 called on congregations to act boldly and compassionately to serve those who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned, and poor.
They outlined three goals for congregations striving to live into Jesus’s vision and created a network of Matthew 25 Congregations united in this mission. They called the church to think deeply about Christ’s call to serve “the least of these,” and what it means to be a relevant presence in the world today by 1) Building congregational vitality; 2) Dismantling structural racism, and 3) Eradicating systemic poverty.
On August 5, 2020, during a Zoom meeting, the Mission, Peace, and Justice Committee, with the Session’s approval, signed up to become a Matthew 25 Church. Over the last year, you may have noticed the Matthew 25 logo appearing in the bulletin, next to projects, programs, and calls to action in the newsletter as well as references in sermons and articles. Becoming a Matthew 25 congregation aligned well with becoming a More Light congregation; the work of the Dismantling Racism Task Force as well as the creation of the Beloved Community Garden. Becoming a Matthew 25 congregation hasn’t changed the vision at West Raleigh; rather, it has further focused and grounded our work in Christ’s vision for the world.
As one of only five Matthew 25 congregations in New Hope Presbytery, West Raleigh was invited to produce a video to share at the July Presbytery Meeting. Members of the Mission, Peace & Justice Committee worked with Anna Richardson Raab to produce this 9-minute video that we hope you will enjoy too!
For more information on Matthew 25 at West Raleigh, contact Katherine@wrpc.or or Mission, Peace & Justice Chair, Sarah McCracken Cobb. To learn more about Matthew 25 from PCUSA, go to https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/