Anglicans in North America care about Justice and Mercy. At Archbishop Beach’s initiative, we invite all practitioners, organizational leaders, clergy, and lay leaders to the 3rd Annual Matthew 25 Gathering, a formative time together for those who are, or hope to begin, contending for shalom among vulnerable, marginalized, and under-resourced communities.
The three goals of the Matthew 25 Gathering are: First, to be a learning community; to grow, clarify, and be thoughtfully challenged. Second, to offer encouragement and networking, providing opportunities for strategic, supportive, and generative relationships. Third, to enjoy refreshment, healing, and celebration to proactively fight burn out and discouragement in these intense contexts of ministry and missional outreach.
The Gathering fosters contemplative activism standing in the stream of the global and historic Anglican tradition, which offers a robust theological, prayerful, and missional background from which to draw. While standing on the shoulders of others, there is a lot to learn and discern in seeking to “understand the times and know what to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
The focus of each annual gathering is contending for shalom through embodied engagement in works of justice and mercy. Guest speakers are invited along with Anglican voices, making the most of meeting in the Washington, D.C. area.
Dr. David Leong, from Seattle Pacific University, will speak about moving from ‘patterns of exclusion’ to ‘communities of belonging’ and discuss how race and urban geography both make our work of justice and mercy necessary and more difficult. Dr. Leong helps his audience understand the causes of structural sin and offers inspiration to keep working to change those structures while seeking to be agents of reconciliation.
Dr. Vincent Bacote, from Wheaton College, will unpack how to engage the current cultural landscape, how to live out the calling to contend for shalom when civil discourse seems to be lost. Dr. Bacote will encourage discussion of some hopeful tools and vision that help us practically to live both in the kingdom of God and the current North American cultures.
Other Anglicans in North America will share how they are engaged in ministries of justice and mercy as well as lead workshops on the following topics: Anglican Social Teaching; Fundraising and Grants; Holistic Community Development; Homelessness; Peacemaking; Immigration Legal Aid; Soul Care Prayer Practices; Multi-ethnic Church Planting; Caring for the Physically Vulnerable; Creation Care and Agricultural Ministries; Human Trafficking; Refugees; Systemic Injustice and Advocacy as Faithful Response; Elder Care; Addiction and Substance Abuse.
Taking advantage of the Washington, D.C. resources, participants can sign up for a soul care retreat prior to the Gathering and visits afterward to the African American Museum and Museum of the Bible.
This February, the Matthew 25 Gathering promises to be a lively, joyful, thought-provoking, and unifying event. We welcome all those who desire to continue the conversation.
For more information and to register, visit the Gathering website.
When you register…
1. Households and families from Restoration Anglican Church are opening their homes so that you have free places to stay and eat breakfast. No charge for lodging if you stay in one of our homes.
2. We have scholarships for airfare (up to $250 per person) and scholarships for registration fees ($25 off the $100 fee). We have made it VERY affordable through the generosity of churches and the Matthew 25 Initiative. You could participate in the Gathering for a total cost of $75.
Learn more here:
2019 Matthew 25 Gathering from Restoration Anglican Church on Vimeo.
