MLK Day in county was honored by many
Outstanding personage honored.
Powerful prayers.
Thoughtful speakers.
Wonderful music.
Ample, tasty breakfast.
Great company.
Long-time friends.
Cooperative effort.
More than 125 folks from Clinton and Oak Ridge began their day early Monday, Jan. 16, for a vibrant breakfast meeting honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Opening and closing remarks were shared by the leaders on behalf of their co-sponsoring organizations: Adam Velk, director of Green McAdoo Cultural Center, and the Rev. Annette Flynn, president of the Oak Ridge-Anderson County branch of the NAACP.
The emcee was Rose Weaver of Oak Ridge, with Weaver Consulting, who also serves as the education chair of the local NAACP. She certainly lived up to her name, weaving together the participation of folks, organizations and churches from both Oak Ridge and Clinton.
An invocation and candlelight memorial to the Clinton 12 and the Green McAdoo Cultural Center members was reverently conducted by First Lady Emeritus Henrietta Caldwell of the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Clinton.
Those sharing heartfelt prayers included Pastor Henry Watson, Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oak Ridge; Pastor Daniel Chisholm of the First Baptist Church in Clinton; Pastor Lee Redford of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Clinton; and interim Pastor Ernest Scruggs of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Clinton.
Pastor Mark Flynn, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, shared selected passages from Dr. King’s letters and speeches.
Music that made everyone jump to their feet and sing was provided by the Community Choir, led by Anthony Angel and musical director Brandon Whitaker.
The choir consisted of members from several of the churches, and had practiced only one hour together. If they hadn’t been told, no one would have known, due to the excellence of their performance.
Only recently recovered from major surgery, Deloris Cole of the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Clinton touched the hearts of all with her beautifully powerful rendition of beloved and favorite hymns.
No one wanted to leave, as friends hung around, greeted each other and acknowledged the beauty of gathering in person over a tasty meal.
Many then left the event, heading over shortly after to Oak Valley Baptist Church in Oak Ridge where a beautiful two-hour tribute program for Dr. King began at 1 p. m.
This well-attended program was organized by Valeria Roberson, who not only served as the emcee for this spirit-filled event, but shared in word and song as well.
A featured speaker was Pastor David Allred of High Places Community Church, who shared from his heart.
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share some of his childhood experiences learning about Dr. King.
“That story of how I learned about his death, and the struggle, (as well as a big reason why I became a pastor), has always been in my heart wanting to get out. I finally got to turn it loose,” he later shared.
Marjorie Lloyd of Oak Ridge, who attended this gathering, shared: “Thank you, Valeria, for all your hard work getting this King Day tribute-celebration organized. All the speakers were so good, and your solo and Rose’s poem were like icing on the cake.”
Roberson said, “It warmed my heart to see our community come together. Let us go forward as we work together to make Oak Ridge and the world better for us all.”
Several individuals spoke near the end of the program with personal stories, including Pat Alston of the Oak Ridge Bahá’í Faith Community, who shared about her experience attending the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama, where Dr. King was a young pastor and whose sermons were memorable, and “started to shake things up.”
She said, “I so appreciate the effort that went into organizing this program and the effort made by the speakers. This is certainly starting 2023 off in the right direction.”
She asked Barbara McCord, another member of the local Bahá’í Faith community, to close with a prayer for unity: “Unite the hearts of Thy servants… ”
Indeed, it was a day of uniting in prayer while praying for unity and honoring a gifted and courageous man who gave his life to its cause.
The NAACP Education Committee’s mission is to engage parents and educational officials to provide educational opportunities so each child in Oak Ridge has equal access.
Its overall vision is that every student and parent have the tools to be prepared for college, career, and any opportunity to be successful.
Inquiries about the activities and membership of the local NAACP can be accessed by emailing the secretary at: vanessaspratling@gmail.com.
The general meeting is always held on the fourth Tuesday evening of the month, and the public is always invited.
The Green McAdoo Community Cultural Center is at 101 School St. in Clinton (on the hill behind the high school); greenmcadooculturalcenter.org.
The center honors and preserves the legacy of the Clinton 12.
The organization strives to educate the public on Clinton’s role in the history of desegregation and civil rights, while making efforts of service, empathy, and collaboration to better the greater community.
The director can be contacted at: avelt@clintontn.net; 865-643-6500.