Matthew 25 reminds us that how we care for one another matters to God. The call to serve, encourage, accompany, and uplift those walking through difficult seasons is at the heart of Christian witness. That spirit of compassion will be on full display this fall as Aboga por Su Causa / Advocate for Their Cause brings its Celebration of Life for Breast Cancer Thrivers to New Jersey for the first time.
The event took place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Trenton, New Jersey. Advocate for Their Cause is a Christian nonprofit ministry dedicated to empowering women and children through hope, healing, advocacy, and faith. After several successful years of hosting the celebration in New York, the organization is expanding the ministry to New Jersey and inviting the wider community to participate.
This year’s theme, “From Surviving to Thriving,” reflects the heart of the gathering. The women being honored are more than breast cancer survivors—they are thrivers whose lives reflect courage, resilience, perseverance, faith, and hope. Through personal testimonies, music, fellowship, prayer, community resources, and a special Celebration of Life Runway, the event will create space for women to celebrate their journeys and remind others that a diagnosis does not have to define their future.
As Rev. Nancy Rivera, Founder and Executive Director of Aboga por Su Causa / Advocate for Their Cause, shared, “Every woman we honor has a story of courage.” The ministry’s purpose is not simply to recognize survival, but to restore hope and remind every woman that she is seen, valued, loved by God, and capable of thriving beyond her diagnosis.
The Celebration of Life will welcome breast cancer thrivers alongside their families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, churches, community organizations, and others who want to stand in solidarity with women affected by breast cancer. The gathering will also promote breast health awareness and early detection, connect women with helpful community resources, and provide spiritual encouragement and compassionate support.
This ministry reflects the spirit of the Matthew 25 Initiative in meaningful ways.
Building Congregational Vitality happens when churches become places of healing, accompaniment, and hope. When people of faith gather not only for worship but also to walk alongside those navigating illness, grief, caregiving, and recovery, the church becomes a visible expression of God’s compassion.
The event also invites us to consider Dismantling Structural Racism by recognizing that access to education, healthcare resources, early detection, and community support is not always experienced equally. Ministries that intentionally connect women with resources and create welcoming spaces where every person is valued help strengthen the church’s broader witness for dignity, equity, and compassionate care.
The connection to Eradicating Systemic Poverty is also important. Serious illness can affect employment, family stability, transportation, caregiving responsibilities, and financial security. While this gathering is centered on celebration and encouragement, bringing churches, healthcare professionals, community organizations, and advocates together strengthens the network of support available to women and their families.
Advocate for Their Cause describes its ministry as one inspired by Isaiah 61:3, seeking to exchange ashes for beauty and despair for hope by walking alongside people during life’s most difficult seasons. Through education, support, mentoring, advocacy, and opportunities for healing and transformation, the organization seeks to remind people that they do not have to face hardship alone.
The wider community is invited to participate in this celebration by attending, volunteering, becoming a sponsor, or helping spread the word. Churches, healthcare organizations, businesses, civic leaders, and community partners are especially encouraged to join in ensuring that every breast cancer thriver knows that she is celebrated, supported, and never alone.
The Celebration of Life for Breast Cancer Thrivers reminds us that Matthew 25 ministry is also the ministry of presence. Sometimes putting faith into action means feeding someone who is hungry. Sometimes it means welcoming the stranger. And sometimes it means standing beside a woman who has endured one of the most difficult journeys of her life and saying: We see you. We celebrate you. We are walking with you.
That too is Matthew 25 in action.
First Presbyterian Church of Trenton
123 E. Hanover Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
