Matthew 25 in Blackhawk

in Blackhawk Presbytery 11/12/21

Learning Alerts!

The Matthew 25 Task Force wants to alert you to three upcoming online events that will be of interest to you and your congregation.

Welcoming the stranger through the Matthew 25 lens

Nov. 17 online event addresses refugees and immigration

Join us for the next Matthew 25 event scheduled for Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. (CST). Hear the stories of newcomers to this country and their journeys, and connect with local leaders offering ministries of welcome and justice. Together we will explore how Presbyterians are living out the Matthew 25 call to welcome the stranger as they accompany new immigrant neighbors from Central America to Afghanistan. READ MORE & REGISTER

ALSO, Mark your calendar: Together We Welcome, a national faith gathering to support immigrants and migrants. This Church World Service (CWS) conference, is set for March 4-6, 2022. READ MORE.

Forum on Afghan Arrivals and URGENT Housing Needs

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) invites you to learn about how you can help provide a warm welcome for Afghan allies and friends with primary attention on the urgent need for both transitional and long-term housing.

In the midst of the outpouring of support, local resettlement organizations have been busier than ever receiving Afghans already evacuated to the U.S. PDA is working collaboratively with these organizations and disaster response partners to reach out to our Presbyterian family and help answer questions. PDA staff and partners will share concrete ways about how you and your congregation can help meet the needs for affordable, safe and dignified housing. Do you have an empty manse? Are there landlords in your congregation? Do you have a relationship with a local Habitat office or other affordable housing program? We will also provide information on the wide range of opportunities for you to welcome our new neighbors with love and support.

Join us November 18 at 11:00 am CST. Register at bit.ly/PDAAfghanHousingForum

Bending the Moral Arc

Webinar to learn about a small group model for anti-racism

Two congregations came together in partnership around the invitation of Matthew 25 to have courageous conversations and to take steps towards dismantling structural racism. They were transformed!

We will hear from these churches, one predominately white and one historically black, that developed a small group model for conversation and action, all during the pandemic and on zoom! Leaders from Nassau Presbyterian Church and Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey will be present to share their story and best practices as you learn to translate this model to your own context.

A template for this small group ministry partnership has been created and will be available as a FREE download during this webinar. Background, tips for creating your own ministry and sample lessons and resources will be included. There will be break-out groups and a Q and A.

All church leaders are welcome to attend. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 AT 6 PM – 7:30 PM CST

No registration necessary. Join us on zoom using this link: https://zoom.us/j/94405040254

This webinar is hosted by Theology, Formation and Evangelism in the Presbyterian Mission Agency and is part of our Scattered Church ministries.

Suggested Movie Night:

‘Sons and Daughters of Thunder'

“Sons and Daughters of Thunder” is a new film that takes us back to a crucial period in American history. Based on the play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter, the film tells the unforgettable true story of the first-in-the-nation 1834 emancipation debates led by firebrand abolitionist Theodore Weld in Cincinnati, Ohio, and their effect on a young Harriet Beecher Stowe’s views of slavery.

This compelling story was partially filmed in Illinois, with Illinois funding, and features characters who were significant Presbyterians of their time. READ MORE.

(Copies of the movie are available through your local library.)

Join Our Matthew 25 Task Force

Are you interested in finding ways to facilitate learning, to increase awareness and to support our churches in their efforts to live out their commitment to Jesus' commands? Would you like to further the vision of a world where the poor are unyoked, injustice is repaired and God's people embrace their calling to make a difference in their communities?

The Blackhawk Matthew 25 Task Force meets monthly, on the second Thursday at 2 pm on zoom. We would love to have you join us. Contact the office for more information.