We believe that God creates and calls us; Jesus reconciles and redeems us; the Spirit energizes and empowers us for worship, love, and service. In response to God’s love and forgiveness, we pledge to inspire each other to prayer, study, and stewardship, to cultivate an open, caring church where diverse gifts are discovered, respected, and employed; to minister faithfully to the poor, lonely, sick, and those in need; to reach out, sharing our faith, inviting and welcoming others into our fellowship; and to seek justice and healing in the church, community, and world. – The EPC Covenant
Commitment to
Mercy, Love & Justice
In 2024, we officially joined the PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 initiative which focuses on dismantling structural racism, eradicating systemic poverty and building congregational vitality. As Christians and Presbyterians we believe that all people belong to the body of Christ and are deeply loved by God, regardless of race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, economic status and physical and mental abilities. Thus, we feel called by God to commit to social justice endeavors and care for the marginalized by seeking ways to dismantle racism, be inclusive and welcoming of the LGBQT + community, eradicate poverty and work for the equality and equity of all those who’ve been denied those rights.
What is a Matthew 25 CHURCH?
Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Convicted by this passage, both the General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) exhorted the PC(USA) to act boldly and compassionately to see our neighbors through Jesus’ eyes and serve those who are marginalized or in need — people who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned, strangers, poor or oppressed in other ways and in need of welcoming. This work is a direct response to the good news of Jesus and a faithful expression of what it means to be Christ’s disciples in this time and place.
Learn more about the PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 initiative.
Matthew 25: 31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?
And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” — Matthew 25:31–46 (New Revised Standard Version of the BIBLE)
The Presbyterian Church USA
EPC is a member of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, a supportive and collaborative network of 85 chartered congregations, 30+ unchartered new worshiping communities, 400+ ministers serving in various capacities, and 30,000+ members.
Almost two million people call the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) their spiritual home. Worshiping in 10,000 Presbyterian congregations throughout the United States, we are engaged in the world, seeking thoughtful solutions to the challenges of our time and in serving with God’s love. Presbyterians seek to continue Jesus’s mission of teaching the truth, feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and welcoming strangers. By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit to dwells within us, giving us the energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to be Christ’s faithful disciples.
For more on the history, beliefs, and distinctions of the Presbyterian tradition, see Presbyterian Theology and pcusa.org.
