By: Brian Shappell
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as a peacemaker fighting for unity will be celebrated in different ways during a special interfaith celebration at St. Cecilia’s at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Representatives from five township religious organizations, St. Cecilia R.C. Church, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Congregation B’nai Tikvah and the Islamic Society of Central Jersey are scheduled to be part of the annual celebration. This will be the first time the Dr. King-themed interfaith service is held at St. Cecilia’s on Georges Road.
The Rev. Joseph Desmond of St. Cecilia’s said the celebration will give people of the township, regardless of their religious affiliation, a chance to celebrate one of history’s great witnesses to word of God.
"He was so instrumental in bringing peace to the world and uniting different people," Father Desmond said. "He not only talked the talk, he walked the walk."
The federal holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader is observed this year on Monday, Jan. 21. Dr. King, who was killed in 1968, would have been 73 this year.
The theme of the service is: What does it mean to be a peacemaker in 2002 in accordance with my religious tradition? The service is sponsored by the Concerned Black Parents and Citizens of South Brunswick and the South Brunswick Area Clergy Association. The clergy association sponsors several interfaith services a year at different houses of worship throughout the township, including the weekend before Thanksgiving. A special service was held Sept. 20 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in New York City and Washington, D.C.
"These are always great opportunities to grow our awareness of faith in the community and share our own," Father Desmond said.
The Rev. Francis Hubbard of St. Barnabas will be among the speakers at the service. Father Hubbard said it is important to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday because of his commitment to his faith and to making radical social changes without resorting to violence.
"It’s a chance for the community of several faiths to remember a tremendous American and a man who put his faith into action for the betterment of the country and the world," Father Hubbard said.
Father Hubbard said the service is especially poignant because, though the religious leaders will be celebrating a man of peace, their prayers will also go out to those involved in the current war against terrorism. Father Hubbard said he believes it is possible to be a supporter of both peaceful resolution of most conflicts and military action against terrorist organizations.
"We need to build bridges of unity and structures of justice in the world," he said. "It’s particularly necessary at this time because at this time. I personally support the self-defense of our nation against terrorists. At the same time, I’m not supporting a war against the mass amount of people in Afghanistan. We’re only out to do damage to people responsible for terrorism."
Father Hubbard said the circumstances of the current military action are more virtuous than those of the 1960s and would likely be supported by Dr. King if he were alive today.
"(Dr. King) came out against Vietnam but this is a very different situation," said Father Hubbard. "I would certainly say he’d be supportive of helping the majority of the people of Afghanistan and the focus of this war being on the evil-doers."
