By Ed Thompson

I’ve changed my mind. Probably the major factor in that process was reading Adam Grant’s book Think Again. (That also made me realize I need to spend more time revising my sermons, but I will save that topic for another article.) Another factor was going through my files and paperwork to see what to keep and what to discard as we get ready to move out of the office and start working from home.

As I’ve gone over these reams of paper, I have realized that I have been more guilty of “printing the internet” than I had realized. I also recognized how important peacemaking had been to me earlier in my career. Being a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War had in many ways led me into ministry as I realized how my faith in Jesus shaped my thinking and my life. I served on and chaired peacemaking committees on the presbytery and synod level. For over a decade, I regularly attended peacemaking conferences. Some, but not all, of that paperwork is now being recycled.

As I went through my files, I was also reminded of the “Commitment to Peacemaking,” which was approved by the PCUSA back in the 1980s. I beat that drum at probably every presbytery meeting for several years, encouraging congregations to adopt that document. It occurs to me that Shenango Presbytery may have adopted the “Commitment to Peacemaking” simply to shut me up. Let’s just say that it was slightly out of character for that presbytery to take such a stance.

After several years, though, I stopped pushing congregations to make that commitment. I still believed in peacemaking. I still thought that the “Commitment to Peacemaking” could be helpful in shaping the programs of a church and would offer ways to strengthen the faith of its members. But I saw too many congregations, maybe even most congregations, adopt the Commitment on Peacemaking and then move on, basically forgetting that they had taken this step and ignoring the opportunities they had to do something for peace in their church, in their community, and in the wider world. Why bother to make a commitment if you’re not going to do anything about it?

I know that experience has colored my views on the Matthew 25 initiative. Although I was very impressed by Dr. Diane Moffett’s presentation at the February 2021 presbytery meeting, I wasn’t ready to make such a commitment until now. The more I think about it, though, the more I think they’re on to something. Jim Wallis has called racism America’s original sin. It colors almost every aspect of our national life whether we recognize it or not. Too many white people, myself included, know that we need to be doing something to address racism but we (again myself included) allow ourselves to be distracted by other pressing concerns and so we do little or nothing.

Many, maybe even most, of our churches have their own food bank or contribute to and find other ways to support their community’s food bank. We’re helping to feed the hungry, but I suspect we do little to address the wider, structural issues that lead to so many people being hungry. In essence, we’re using Band-Aids to try to cure a more serious disease.

We have some great churches doing significant, meaningful ministry. However, I know of no congregation in this presbytery that does not need to address congregational vitality. We can all do better.

I’m not sure that “racism, poverty, and congregational vitality” should replace or need to replace “ministry, mission, and relationships” as the hallmarks of this presbytery. However, I think the priorities of the Matthew 25 initiative can provide some direction for this presbytery as we look to the future and thinks about what we need to focus on in the next chapter of our life together. If we only sign on to the Matthew 25 initiative to keep up with the “cool” presbyteries and so that we fit in with the other presbyteries in our synod; if we only sign on so that we can say we did it and then do nothing to implement it, then we shouldn’t bother. My experience working with the Commitment to Peacemaking will only have been repeated.

As I think about this, however, I have changed my mind. There is a risk that nothing will change and that signing on to Matthew 25 will be a waste of time. There is a risk, however, that doing so will change us and make us think differently and look at the world around us differently and that we will start doing some things differently. I think becoming a Matthew 25 presbytery is worth the risk. What do you think?