MLK Day of Service
By Albert B. Kelly
January 15th is the Martin Luther King Jr.
holiday but unlike other holidays that we observe, the MLK holiday should be
one of service. This is only right and fitting because if you push past the
“CliffsNotes” version of the man’s life, you realize his was a life dedicated
to serving humanity no matter the cost.
In early 1968, he was focused on the Poor People’s Campaign
later that year. But when Memphis sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert
Walker were killed in a garbage truck on February 1st because of
substandard working conditions and the appeals came to him from local church
leaders for help on behalf of striking sanitation workers- he responded. That’s
why he was on that balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4th
in view of James Earl Ray. He died as he lived…serving others.
Five decades after his death, when we honor the memory of
the man and consider his legacy, at least to my mind, we should do so through
serving others. That’s why the Martin
Luther King Jr. holiday in Bridgeton will see a mix of clergy, youth, and
community volunteers tying their service in with the Bridgeton’s Code Blue
network.
We all know how cold it has been over the last 3 weeks and
the Code Blue warming centers have been going nonstop since before the New
Year. With daytime highs in the 20’s and nighttime lows in the single digits,
it’s been all hands on deck to ensure that those without a place can escape the
freezing cold, get a hot meal and perhaps a little sleep in a safe space.
What sometimes gets missed in the work of the Code Blue program
is that the warming centers themselves are the basements and activity rooms of
local churches participating the in the program. When Code Blue is in effect
for weeks at time as has been the case lately, there is literally no time to do
the more intensive kind of care and maintenance of these spaces that might
otherwise happen under less intense conditions.
With that in mind, the MLK holiday will be a day of service
where the mix of youth, community volunteers, and clergy will gather to do some
deep cleaning of our code blue spaces including washing, waxing, polishing,
scrubbing and whatever else seems appropriate in order to ensure that these spaces
used for code blue are as they should be.
You would be surprised, but the wear and tear adds up
quickly as code blue days turn into weeks and into months. This effort at
cleaning is not only to ensure a tidy and clean space for those seeking
shelter, but it is also a way to say “thank you” to congregations that have
been kind enough to open their doors in the name of service of those less
fortunate. We never want to take this generosity for granted or disrespect the
space itself and ensuring that we treat it with some TLC keeps us grounded.
After we complete our work, we will break bread together and
enjoy some fellowship. I am also anticipating a visit from a member of
Governor-elect Murphy’s cabinet as our new governor will be recognizing a
statewide day of service in honor of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. This
comes a day before Mr. Murphy is sworn in at the Trenton War Memorial on
January 16th.
The MLK holiday will not be the only day of service in the
community- we have a variety of service opportunities including clean-up days
and roadside clean-up throughout the year. But the MLK holiday is one day that
reminds us of why service is important and what a life looks like when it is
centered on concern for other people and the nation as a whole.
My hope is that you might consider joining us in these
efforts. There are many things to divide us but it need not be this way. No
matter our nationality or race, we all hope to be at peace and we all want to
make it home at the end of the day to loved ones. It’s not easy to overcome fear,
but it’s easier when we stand serving together and when we sit and break bread
together. I hope to do both with you on January 15th at St. Andrews
Church at 183 E. Commerce St from 9am to 11am. Please consider stopping by.