Dear Church Family,
In the coming weeks and months you will be hearing from me about Matthew 25. By this I do not mean the chapter of the Bible — though we will rely on it heavily — but an invitation and vision from the Presbyterian Church (USA) which the MPC Session voted to sign on to. The Presbytery of San Francisco has also signed on, and many of our neighboring churches as well. The Matthew 25 vision calls us to dismantle structural racism, build congregational vitality, and eradicate systemic poverty. These are tall orders! So we need everyone to dream big and keep the three challenges in mind as we do the work of the church together.
A little history about the Matthew 25 initiative. It originally arose as an answer to another challenge. A presbytery petitioned the General Assembly in 2016 with overtures designed to limit how often the national church could focus on social justice issues. We Presbyterians are pretty justice-centered, so of course this attempt did not go far, but what was beautiful was the way we as a church responded. A counter-proposal came forward, instead, asserting that justice is at the heart of all the work we do. It named the ways in which the scriptures of Matthew 25 call us to do anti-racist work and anti-poverty activism, and to be the kind of faith communities where, if we were to close our programs and doors, the neighborhood would really miss us. We affirmed instead that not only is social justice important to us as a church, it is central. Matthew 25 is not a program or a curriculum for us to go through, but a set of three challenges that we seek to live out. My next three sermons will tackle them, starting this week. But to start the wheels turning for you, here are some questions.
What can we do to dismantle structural racism? Racism has been so embedded for so long that it cannot be dismantled by simply having no tolerance for bigotry. In fact, racism no longer needs participants willing to uphold it through hatred; it is woven into our policies and economic structures. What can we do to dismantle the systems of racial inequity?
What can we do that makes a difference to the neighborhood? This is the core question of congregational vitality. Are we reaching people with joy and compassion? Are we deepening our own faith and love? From the Matthew 25 invitation: We believe that “Where Christ is, there is the true Church.” Matthew 25 shows us that Christ is with people who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or in prison. If we wish to serve Christ, we must be with these same people in our witness, work, and worship. In this mission we encounter Christ, the life of the world, and congregations find true vitality.
What can we do to eradicate systemic poverty? This is more than the meals we hand out to those who are hungry, as that work alleviates the pain of poverty but does not eradicate it from the root. How can we advocate (or agitate) for a more just society where people do not need to live in such poverty?
I am glad to be addressing these questions with the vibrant community that is MPC. There is so much we are already doing in these areas, and I look forward to seeing what else we may do together.
Every Blessing,
Talitha