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For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.…
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these siblings of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:35–40
Beloved,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. With the government shutdown continuing and national food-assistance programs suspended, many are finding it more challenging to provide for themselves and their families. The need is exacerbated by rising costs and a diminished safety net. Families who were already vulnerable are being thrust into deeper uncertainty. Many who work tirelessly to serve others are now struggling to secure the most basic necessities for themselves.
In moments such as these, the Church is called not to retreat, but to rise. We are not merely caretakers of faith; we are stewards of God’s justice. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does not permit us to be passive observers when systems fail, and neighbors suffer. Rather, it commands us to become living witnesses to God’s mercy and righteousness in the face of indifference and inequity.
This is our moment to be the Church, not the Church of comfort, but the Church of conviction; not a Church content to watch, but one willing to move into action. The words of Matthew 25 are not merely metaphor. They are a mission statement to feed the hungry, to welcome the stranger, to visit the imprisoned, to clothe and to care. These are not optional acts of charity, but sacred expressions of love and justice.
I am deeply moved by the ways congregations across the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area are already responding with tangible acts of love. You are providing food and shelter, organizing volunteers, and advocating for those whose voices are not being heard. You are proving that the Church of Jesus Christ is still alive, still compassionate, and still courageous.
To provide long-term care for those facing hardship in this season, we have gathered a list of resources throughout our region for food assistance, housing support, mental health services, and opportunities to connect with ministries offering immediate and ongoing relief. These resources are provided below.
Beloved, this is a time to bear witness to the radical compassion of Christ and to the possibility of a more just world. When we serve those who are suffering, we serve Christ himself. When we advocate for systems that reflect equity and love, we prepare the way for God’s beloved community to be made more visible.
We have covenanted to be living waters, waters that renew, replenish and revive. May the resources we provide and the witness we offer flow into channels of blessing and streams of hope for the vulnerable among us. And may we rise together, shining as a living testimony that the love of God cannot be shut down.
Blessings and peace,
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling
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