by Marcia Mount Shoop
Matthew 25:31-46
“We are learning and growing in being a both/and congregation. Prophetic and pastoral. Bold and humble. Courageous and compassionate.
There is a fine line between being a Matthew 25 congregation and being white saviors.
There is a fine line between working to make the world a better place and working to maintain the status quo.
There’s a fine line between being agents of change and liberation in Christ name and being those who prop up unjust systems.
If all we do are ministries of compassion, food kitchens, Emergency shelters, toy drives, we are not doing anything to change the conditions that produce the need for such emergency aid and we’re also enabling governments to do less and less in terms of a social safety net.
If all we are doing is being prophetic and never engaging in direct and mutual aid for those who are suffering then we run the risk of just being ideologues, people who dream of a better world, people who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk, don’t do anything to put it into motion for the world to change.
We need to be a both/and people, that’s what Matthew 25 initiative is about, that’s what our work around dismantling white supremacy is about. That’s what our Mission Statement is about.
The world needs to change so we need to change.”
Watch the full GCPC service on 11/26/23 here
(Scripture and sermon begin at 40:15)