Dr. John L. Odom, General Presbyter
Woo Hoo! Mid-Kentucky Presbytery (MKP) and its 46 congregations, members and friends have done it. We’ve used our blessings to be a blessing in our world and so fulfill God’s command to all the children of Abraham. We’ve also fulfilled the presbytery’s commitment to be a Matthew 25 presbytery and work to eradicate systemic poverty. Medical debt is the number two reason that folks declare bankruptcy in the United States only after loss of job/income.
MKP partnered with RIP Medical Debt, established an online campaign and raised $21,575.20 to wipe out an astonishing $2,157,520.00 in individual medical debt in the 29 Kentucky counties that constitute the presbytery’s geographic bounds. RIP Medical Debt will use our gifts to purchase individuals’ medical debt at pennies on the dollar. Individuals whose medical debt has been canceled through our efforts will receive a letter from RIP Medical Debt informing them of this good news and letting them know that their debt has been fulfilled by the Presbyterians of central Kentucky. The good news just gets better. MKP’s campaign raised more funds than required to eliminate debt in the presbytery’s 29 counties. The remaining funds will be used to purchase additional medical debt of individuals throughout the Commonwealth until our MKP funds are exhausted, and those additional individuals will also receive the same notification letter.
Rarely do we, Presbyterians, get a chance to so directly enact what we pray for weekly in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The Finance and Mission committees of the presbytery say, “Thank you. Well done good and faithful Presbyterians. Enter the joy of your Master.”
Let’s celebrate this faith victory, and keep working on those other parts of the Lord’s Prayer like “bringing the Kingdom on earth as in heaven,” and “avoiding temptation” as well as working on the other focal points of Matthew 25—congregational vitality and dismantling structural racism—all to the glory of God.”