PCUSA, Matthew 25 Initiative

The men of the Pine Island Church are studying the book of Amos.  Amos was an 8th Century BC prophet who was a regular guy, herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees, today's factory line worker equivalent, called by God to speak truth to power and the nation.  He addressed the conspicuous consumption of the elite (Amos 6:1-7) "who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph (v. 6), referring to the beloved son of Jacob, and I think here refers to Israel and the forsaken "ruined" promise of a blessed community intended in the fair distribution of the land to the twelve tribes of Israel.  Amos challenged the growing disparity between the rich and poor, and warned of such indifference.  "The revelry of the loungers shall pass away" (v.7). 
In our discussion, the men recognized how familiar the situation Amos addressed sounds to our contemporary situation today:  the shrinking middle class, the growing disparity between the poor and wealthy, and power systematically skewed to the few.  Recognizing our own complicity in a culture with  market share supporting our pension and retirement funds, the question was raised, how can we move from talk to action? 
The last two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Portland in 2016 and St. Louis in 2018 wrestled with this question and discerned a vision for the church's purpose in action.  Subsequently, the PC(USA) General Assembly calls its congregations and middle councils to become Matthew 25 Churches, Presbyteries, Synods.  This initiative refers to the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25: 31-46 about the final judgment.  Those who pay attention to the needs of the poor Jesus says, do so to him.  "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40).  Jesus here claims the poor and destitute as members of his family.  Conversely he said, "Just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me" (v. 45).  This parable clearly ties Amos' indictment of the indifferent elite of Israel with Jesus' ministry and vision of God's reign of the blessed community where there is enough for all and all are blessed.  The following is from the PC(USA) website:  www.pcusa.org/matthew25

What is a Matthew 25 church?

Matthew 25:31–46 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.

How the vision unites all Presbyterians


By accepting the Matthew 25 invitation, you 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.
About the Matthew 25 mark
     The circular shape represents unity and equality. Like God, a circle has no beginning and no end, and it symbolizes our continuing effort to help one another. The shape also suggests a globe that points to our engagement with the world.
     The three interlocking figures represent the equality of all people without gender or race bias. They have their arms around each other, symbolizing friendship, protection and service. The number three suggests the three focus areas of congregational vitality, structural racism and systematic poverty, as well as the Trinity.
     The color palette is bright, lively, friendly and energetic — suggestive of our active commitment.
     Finally, the legend “Matthew 25” below the symbol is the literal identification of the mark. We use a handwritten font to make the point that active engagement in the world requires human effort.

 Read more about these three focus areas:
1. Building Congregational Vitality:  https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/vitality/
2. Dismantling Structural Racism:  https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/racism/
3. Eradicating Systematic Poverty:  https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/poverty/

Looking for a vision for the church today?  How to move from talk to action?  How to engage the community while leaving the specifics up to each unique community?  There it is.

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