Connecting Our Mission: Matthew 25 and Eradicating Systemic Poverty
Our Presbytery’s commitment to the Matthew 25 initiative—specifically the priority to eradicate systemic poverty —directly reflects the heart of Dr. Theoharis’ life’s work:
From Charity to Systemic Change: In Matthew 25:35–40, Jesus calls the church to see His face in those who are hungry, thirsty, unhoused, and oppressed. Dr. Theoharis’ scholarship and activism challenge us to move beyond temporary relief toward dismantling the root systemic causes that generate poverty in the first place.
Rev. Raafat Girgis and Elder Ann Butcher
Liturgies of Liberation: We Pray for Freedom demonstrates that worship, prayer, and ritual are not separate from justice work—they are the spiritual sustenance that empowers communities to demand structural dignity, economic justice, and fair treatment for all God’s children.
A Shared Calling: By bringing Rev. Dr. Theoharis into our gathering, we align our presbytery’s Matthew 25 commitments with a broader movement of grassroots faith leaders, unhoused neighbors, workers, and organizers who are building a moral revival across our nation.
The Assembly meeting was called together in- person at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Castle Rock to “pray for freedom” in all aspects of our life, worship, and work together. The Assembly offers our thanks to the gracious hospitality of New Hope Presbyterian Church, their pastor, Rev. Caressa Murray, the other staff and volunteers who made us feel so welcome.
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement As is the practice of Denver Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church (USA) to formally confess historical complicity in Indigenous land dispossession, honor Native stewardship, and move toward structural justice, the land acknowledgment was offered by Rev. Caressa Murray.
The Moderator, Chris Wineman also welcomed the following Corresponding Members: Rev. Liz Theoharis member of New York City Presbytery (speaker and preacher for the meeting). Rev. Kristin Leucht, member of the San Fernando Presbytery (from the Presbyterian Church (USA) Board of Pensions), Rev. Micheal Cole member of Pueblo Presbytery. Elder Janet Ballantyne our Synod Stated Clerk. And a special welcome was offered to new commissioners.
David Hogues, moderator of the Ministries Relations Committee welcomed Melissa Allison, the new Interim Stated Clerk, to Denver Presbytery.
The first part of the Ministry Relations Committee Report included a special kind of welcome as they voted to welcome and affirm Rev. Jill VanderWal to transition from her role as Associate Pastor to Installed Pastor/ Head of Staff at Columbine United Church (PCUSA/UCC/UMC).
Presbytery Leader, Dee Cooper, presented her report: “Woven Together by Love.” She shared about her experiences with Chris Wineman and Cathy Jaynes (delegates from Denver Presbytery to Zimbabwe) and learnings of community, care, hope and faithfulness, from our mission partners. A phrase that has been a touchstone in these reflections is “Munhu munhu nevanhu” which means “a person is a person through other people.” Dee wondered what it means for the Denver Presbytery “to become whole, authentic people, walking together, holding hands, woven by love?” She invited the Presbytery to show up for other people and congregations when they are struggling, look at and see how we practice interdependence in our budget, committees and mission, to discover new ways to be part of presbytery leadership and see every person as a child of God.
Worship led by Rev. Theorharis focused the sermon on a reading from John 10:10 where Jesus says I have come so that you may have life and have it abundantly. That this is not easy to picture in a nation with so many people living in poverty, killed by the policy and dying in detention centers. Where 64 million workers, since COVID have the name “essential” workers but being paid expendable wages and not even able to afford “essentials.” A nation where poverty is one of the top 5 causes of death. What does John 10:10 tell us? That it is the right of people to demand abundant life for all people. That we are called to end poverty. The only scarcity is the moral consciousness and soul filled will of what Jesus calls us to. To end poverty bringing about abundant life that God intends for all.
TREASURER ELECTION
Russ Kane presented the Visionary Leadership Commission Report which included the Stated Clerk Assembly and Learning Team (SCALT) report and election of the new Treasurer, Kerrie Lovens.
God has entrusted the Denver Presbytery with an abundance of resources providing us with opportunities to respond with generosity and gratitude. In our commitment to “participate equally, responsibly, and interdependently by sharing the cost of coordination and evaluation of mission; and of performing ecclesiastical, legislative, and judicial functions that identify a Reformed Church, while at the same time strengthening the sense of community among all Presbyterians” (GA Minutes, Part I, 1995) the Per Capita amounts for the Denver Presbytery were set to $34 in 2027 and $36 in 2028. These amounts were also part of the 2027 Budget for Denver Presbytery that was approved.
The Denver Presbytery is also blessed with incredible leaders who answer God’s call to serve. The Assembly celebrated the election of Evan Amo to the Ministry Preparation Committee, class of 2029 and Rob Mathes to the Visionary Leadership Commission as Moderator, class of 2029.
GENERATIVE TIME
For Generative Time Liz Theoharis invited the Assembly to share stories of faith and hope and sung songs of protest and resistance.
Each year the Presbytery sets Minimum Terms of Call for pastors based on a full-time, installed pastoral position. The Ministry Relationship Committee recognizes that sessions face a challenging environment in terms of budgeting. Recognizing that rising costs in all areas of life affect both pastors and congregations. This is especially true in Denver and the state of Colorado, given the extremely high cost of living. The Assembly voted to establish the Total Effective Salary for the 2027 Minimum Terms of Call at $74,400.
To address the rising cost of living and the changes to the Board of Pensions benefits pricing for 2027, the Ministry Relations Committee has approved two different mechanisms for financial support: Pastor Leadership Compensation Assistance Policy and the Board of Pensions Subsidy Grant.
In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) one of the foundational aspects of our polity is that it is Christ who gives to the Church its faith and life, its unity and mission, its order and discipline. We believe that the exercise of church discipline is one for building up the body of Christ, not for destroying it, for redeeming, not for punishing. This Assembly meeting included a Special Report of a matter of Church Discipline and reading a censure of a minister member of Denver Presbytery into the record.
The meeting concluded by inviting the body into a time of welcome to the Christ’s table where we are a community that embraces one another in love and compassion, for we have first been loved by God.
