Opportunities to Observe MLK Day
MLK Day of Service
City Mission Society is organizing two days of service this year— January 16 and 18. The days run from 9-12 and then include lunch and closing reflections from 12-2. The lunch and reflections will be at the Mather School in Boston, the oldest public school in North America. The service projects will vary– sorting clothes and making food at Pilgrim Church in Dorchester, cleaning, painting and organizing at various public schools in Boston and probably a few other projects. Last year over 300 volunteers impacted over 3,000 people. This is a great, easy way to make a difference in someone else’s life and to meet people from other churches and organizations in and around Boston. My family has enjoyed participating in these half day projects and we’ve visited places that we might not otherwise have seen– Twelfth Street Baptist Church where Dr. King worshipped when he lived in Boston, small churches in Dorchester and Roxbury and elementary schools in Boston. We always have a core group from PACC participating in this service day and we’d love to have a big group from our congregation this year. Please let Mike, Christie, or Kate know if you’d like to attend on January 16 or 18. Details about registration will be coming soon.
Arlington’s 28th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance will be at Town Hall on Monday, January 18. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. with light refreshments. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. This year the people and program of Arlington’s 50 years of METCO will be recognized.
The guest speaker will be Tito Jackson who is a lifelong resident of Roxbury’s Grove Hall neighborhood and is the son of Herb and Rosa Jackson, two beloved community activists. As the District 7 City Councilor, he currently represents all of Roxbury and parts of the South End, Dorchester and Fenway neighborhoods.
First elected to the Boston City Council in March of 2011 during a special election, voters re-elected Councilor Jackson the following November for a full two-year term. In November of 2013 75% of the electorate once again called upon Councilor Jackson to serve the people of District 7 and represent them in City Hall.
Councilor Jackson currently serves as Chairman of the Boston City Council’s Committee on Education, and is Vice Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations. He also serves on the Economic Development & Planning & Labor Committee, the Special Committee on Small Business, Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Special Committee on Transportation, Public Infrastructure, Planning and Investment.
The Gospel Ensemble of the Myrtle Baptist Church of West Newton, founded by freed slaves in 1874, will provide music. Non-perishable food items for the Arlington Food Pantry will be collected and a free-will offering to benefit public and non-profit programs that further the goals of Dr. King will be taken.
