Matthew 25 Archives

Lenten laments for racial injustice

Posted March 11th, 2021

Jessie Bloss remembers how helpless she felt. “It was that overwhelming feeling of not knowing how to respond,” she said.

Advocating for human rights in the Occupied Territories

Posted March 10th, 2021

Under the often-crushing weight of Israeli sanctions, HaMoked advocates for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.

The intersectionality of all three Matthew 25 focuses

Posted March 10th, 2021

The online Matthew 25 series continues in 2021 with the next event scheduled for 2p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 24. The topic is how all three areas of the Matthew 25 vision — building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty — intersect around the subject of housing.

Moving a Virginia church from one stone edifice to another

Posted March 10th, 2021

Susan Ehterton, a real estate developer and ruling elder at Arlington Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Virginia with 35 years of experience in redevelopment and affordable housing, explained the church’s transformation as moving “from one stone edifice to another stone edifice” — one with 173 units of affordable housing and, as it turns out, room for the congregation as well.

One Great Hour of Sharing gifts empower ‘the least of these’

Posted March 9th, 2021

Mama O is a wounded healer. Her moment of greatest need intersected with the critical healing and support services provided by Black Women’s Blueprint, a civil and human rights organization specifically focused on the needs of Black women and girls since 2008. At 65 years of age, she is among the eldest survivors of sexual violence in the organization. And now, she’s returning the gift.

Engaging Matthew 25 through video

Posted March 5th, 2021

Engaging with Matthew 25 and the three areas of focus that make up the vision — building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty — is being addressed in a variety of ways by the 765 congregations and 72 mid councils who have signed on since its launch in April 2019. Now there is another way to start those conversations and actively engage in the world around us.

Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force holds first conversation on issues of concern

Posted March 4th, 2021

In a candid and perhaps long overdue online conversation, members of the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force presented “Telling Our Stories,” which provided a look at the major concerns of Black women and girls as outlined in its report to the 224th General Assembly (2020), which has been referred to the 225th General Assembly (2024).

PC(USA) offering three virtual anti-racism training sessions in 2021

Posted March 3rd, 2021

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Gender, Racial & Intercultural Justice will be offering three virtual anti-racism training sessions in 2021, starting this month.

Musicians band together to stage Justice Concert

Posted March 2nd, 2021

It was a hot afternoon in July 2020, five months after the first stay-at-home orders issued in New Jersey had forced residents to shelter in place. Cherry Oakley, moderator of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, was thinking hard in the front seat of her car. She lamented the racial and economic injustice laid bare by the pandemic.

Pastors call on churches to teach the truth about white supremacy

Posted February 26th, 2021

Millions of Americans were surprised and shocked when insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol on Jan. 6 attempting to stop the certification of the November presidential election.