Celebrating Matt Bishop

Celebrating Matt Bishop: 2025 Public Citizen of Excellence

We are delighted to share that our own Matt Bishop, Director of Music & Arts at First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, has been honored with the 2025 Public Citizen of Excellence Award by the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Each year, this award is given to someone who, though not a social worker, exemplifies the values and vision of the profession by promoting justice, equity, and community well-being. The NASW specifically seeks to honor those who live out the ethics of compassion, inclusion, and advocacy in their public life.

Matt was honored for his exceptional leadership in using the arts to bring healing and unity to our community. His recent projects include the Justice Choir’s Mental Health Concert, which lifted up voices and stories around the urgent issue of mental health, and a Youth Art Show in partnership with Sudlow Middle School, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of Beloved Community. This exhibit gave young artists a platform to share their gifts and creativity with the wider community. Together, these events reflect Matt’s deep belief that music and the arts are not only beautiful expressions of the human spirit but also powerful instruments of justice, healing, and community transformation.

Beyond these events, Matt continues to enrich our congregation and community with creativity, imagination, and a passion for equity. His leadership reminds us that worship and art are not confined within the walls of a church—they are vehicles of hope and justice that ripple outward into the world.

We are so proud of Matt for this well-deserved recognition, and we give thanks for the many ways he inspires our church and community to live more fully into God’s vision of justice and peace.

Please join us in celebrating Matt Bishop for this remarkable honor!