Honoring Dr. King through a day of service
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Parishes, Catholic organizations and members of the faithful across the diocese will once again join in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on his birthday, Jan. 20, through a day of service.
Eleven years after legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congress designated the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday as a national day of service. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.”
The day of service puts into action the values of Dr. King who said, “The most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
According to Deanna Sass, director, diocesan Department of Multicultural Ministry, parishes are encouraged to host or participate in a day of service to the community, an effort that challenges Catholics to heed the call of the Gospel and lead to on-going service throughout the year. To serve parishes in that endeavor, a “Tool Kit” has been developed and is available as a download from the diocesan website.
The tool kit suggests such service activities as community clean-up, preparing and serving meals at a soup kitchen, helping with chores for the homebound, collecting items for a homeless shelter or making crafts for hospitals or nursing homes. Included in the kit is a prayer service and an affirmation of faith based on the writings of Dr. King.
The annual Center for FaithJustice MLK, Jr., Youth Day of Service will bring together 160 students, grades 6 -12, from the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on Jan. 20 for a day in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, that begins with a prayer service before spreading out to several service sites in the greater Trenton community. The day ends with lunch, prayer and discussions.
The Mercer County CYO will also host students from Lawrenceville School to a day of service at three sites – the South Broad St. Center and the East State St. Center, as well as the Ewing CYO, where youth will do some facility work and help in the pre-schools on Jan. 22.
The CYO Bromley Neighborhood Center joins the Hamilton Township Municipal Government and J.O. Wilson Hamilton Neighborhood Center in co-sponsoring Hamilton Township’s 11th Annual Tribute to Dr. King, Jan. 17.
The ceremony will take place at Faith Baptist Church, Hamilton, and will include musical performances by Hamilton resident Isaiah Alston, a top ten finalist on the television show, “The Voice” and the Faith Baptist Church Choir, along with the presentation of the Dr. King Spirit of Community Service Award to Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County and keynote remarks by Dr. Joseph E. Woods, senior pastor, Saint Phillips Baptist Church in Hamilton.
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Parishes, Catholic organizations and members of the faithful across the diocese will once again join in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on his birthday, Jan. 20, through a day of service.
Eleven years after legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congress designated the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday as a national day of service. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.”
The day of service puts into action the values of Dr. King who said, “The most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
According to Deanna Sass, director, diocesan Department of Multicultural Ministry, parishes are encouraged to host or participate in a day of service to the community, an effort that challenges Catholics to heed the call of the Gospel and lead to on-going service throughout the year. To serve parishes in that endeavor, a “Tool Kit” has been developed and is available as a download from the diocesan website.
The tool kit suggests such service activities as community clean-up, preparing and serving meals at a soup kitchen, helping with chores for the homebound, collecting items for a homeless shelter or making crafts for hospitals or nursing homes. Included in the kit is a prayer service and an affirmation of faith based on the writings of Dr. King.
The annual Center for FaithJustice MLK, Jr., Youth Day of Service will bring together 160 students, grades 6 -12, from the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on Jan. 20 for a day in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, that begins with a prayer service before spreading out to several service sites in the greater Trenton community. The day ends with lunch, prayer and discussions.
The Mercer County CYO will also host students from Lawrenceville School to a day of service at three sites – the South Broad St. Center and the East State St. Center, as well as the Ewing CYO, where youth will do some facility work and help in the pre-schools on Jan. 22.
The CYO Bromley Neighborhood Center joins the Hamilton Township Municipal Government and J.O. Wilson Hamilton Neighborhood Center in co-sponsoring Hamilton Township’s 11th Annual Tribute to Dr. King, Jan. 17.
The ceremony will take place at Faith Baptist Church, Hamilton, and will include musical performances by Hamilton resident Isaiah Alston, a top ten finalist on the television show, “The Voice” and the Faith Baptist Church Choir, along with the presentation of the Dr. King Spirit of Community Service Award to Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County and keynote remarks by Dr. Joseph E. Woods, senior pastor, Saint Phillips Baptist Church in Hamilton.
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