Angel Visit Baptist Church’s 33rd annual Essex County community celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be conducted online via Zoom. The theme of the celebration is, “The Time Is Now.”
It was in a speech at Oberlin College in Ohio that Dr. King said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Dr. King’s message and the lessons that he taught resonate now more than ever in the aftermath of the challenges of the last two years. This year’s celebration provides a particular opportunity to reflect on the work that still needs to be done in pursuit of Dr. King’s vision for a “beloved community.”
According to Dr. Carla E. Lightfoot, pastor of Angel Visit, “The question becomes, when is the time? The time is now! It is never too late to stand up for justice against what is wrong.
“Dr. King dedicated his life to confronting injustice in a non-violent manner. The time is now to afford educational opportunities for all. The time is now to ensure equality is realized for everyone.
“In Romans 13:11, the Apostle Paul speaks of the urgency to love and walk right with God. He says ‘the night is far spent, but the day is at hand.’ Let us awake, stand up, and get busy to share the very nature of Christ which is love and righteousness. We cannot rest on what we have done, but let us continue to move expeditiously knowing that the time is now.
“Dr. King operated with urgency. We, too, must move with determination to make equality a realization for all mankind.”
Middlesex County residents are invited to take part in this celebration. The Rev. Dr. John E. Guns, dean of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, will be the preacher for the occasion. Music will be provided by Marcellus Dungee and the Southside Rappahannock Baptist Association Choir musicians.
There is an opportunity to participate in the celebration by video conference or by telephone dial-in. Email AngelVisitBaptistChurch@gmail.com or call 804-443-5977 to get the Zoom link or dial-in number.
