Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership

January 19th Program and Speakers
Posted December 26th, 2008 by OBIPP

Please see the full liturgy for complete details and an outline that you can use for your own events.

Martin Luther King, Jr. BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE,
Rebirthing King, Rebirthing America

January 19, EVE OF INAUGURATION DAY, 2009,
All Souls Church, Washington DC

As people arrive between 4:45 and 5:30, each will be given a candle, invited to stand in silent vigil in front of All Souls Church and then enter the sanctuary with drums and song.

At 5:30:

Coming Together, Summoning of the People According to the Traditions

* Blowing of the Shofar (Rabbi David Shneyer & Deb Kolodny)
* Ringing of Church Bells
* Muslim Call to Prayer
* Buddhist Mindfulness Bell
* Unitarian Universalist chalice-lighting


Welcoming from hosts and organizers:

* Rev. Rob Hardies, All Souls Church
* Rev. Bill Sinkford, UUA
* Mark Johnson, Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership/Fellowship of Reconciliation


Welcome from the Traditions:

* Rev. Michael Kinnamon, NCC
* Dr. Sayyid Syeed, ISNA
* Ms Sammie Moshenberg, National Council of Jewish Women
* Ms Musham Patricia Akido Nash from Buddhist community

Four "Acts": The Three Evils & the Beloved Community
Act I.: Racism

Addresses (20 minutes total) by speakers on this danger

* Grace Boggs (Racism)
* Samina Faheem Sundas (Islamophobia)
* Rabbi Rebecca Alpert (Homophobia)

ASHES, STONES, & FLOWERS:
A LITANY ON MILITARISM, RACISM, & MATERIALISM
IN HONOR OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

A Litany by Rev. Patricia Pearce, Tabernacle United Church, Philadelphia
(Section I). Readers:

* Ashes: Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, Freeman Fellow, FOR
* Stones: Monsignor Ray East, Catholic Archdiocese of Black Catholics
* Flowers: Rev. Sharon Watkins, Disciples of Christ

Racism liturgy

Interlude: Festival Choir of All Souls Church
Act II. Militarism

Addresses (20 minutes total) by speakers on this danger

* Celeste Zappala (Military Families Speak Out)
* Rev. Lennox Yearwood (Hip-Hop Caucus)
* Nihad Awad, (CAIR)


Litany of Ashes, Stones, & Flowers:
Section II. Readers:

* Ashes: Mubarak Awad, (Nonviolence International)
* Stones: Rabia Harris, (Muslim Peace Fellowship)
* Flowers: Johnny Barber, (Buddhist Community)

Militarism liturgy


Interlude: Singing lead by Ysaye M. Barnwell
Act III. Materialism

Address (15 minutes total) by speakers on this danger

* Jim Wallis (on poverty), (Sojourners)
* Marie Dennis (on world poverty), (Maryknoll and Pax Christi)
* Rabbi Michael Lerner (on Global Marshall Plan), New Spiritual Progressives
* Arthur Waskow (on climate crisis & related environmental concerns), Shalom Center


Litany of Ashes, Stones, & Flowers:
Section III: Readers

* Ashes: Bob Edgar (Common Cause)
* Stones: Rita Nakashima Brock (Faith Voices)
* Flowers: Joan Brown Campbell (Chautauqua Institute)

Materialism/Poverty liturgy
Act IV: The Beloved Community

Reclaiming the sacred vision of the Beloved Community that was inspired in Dr. King.

Speakers

* Vincent Harding, Veterans of Hope Project
* Jim Forbes, Healing of the Nations


THE COVENANTAL PLEDGE: Vincent Harding
Common recitation & signing of the Covenantal Pledge.


Recessional and Processional. Distributions of candles and giving of instructions; people exit the church (to music and song) and begin candle-light vigil outside. .

Return to church for: Refreshments, meeting our neighbors: ideally a huge potluck, with people instructed beforehand to bring food to share. Various related organizations have tables and discussants to meet, connect.

Contact:
Mark C. Johnson, mjohnson@forusa.org
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, awaskow@shalomctr.org