Sunday, January 20:

Sunday morning we welcome preacher Dr. Leah Gunning Francis at 7:30, 9:00 & 11:15 a.m. Dr. Gunning Francis is the VP of Academic Affairs at Christian Theological Seminary. A passionate champion for changing the public narrative about young black men — and the author of “Ferguson & Faith” — Dr. Gunning Francis’ writing and teaching focuses on the role of faith communities as agents of justice and social change.

At 10:15 a.m. our Rector’s Forum speaker will be Devon Carbado — Associate Vice Chancellor of BruinX for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Honorable Harry Pregerson Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. Professor Carbado writes in the areas of employment discrimination, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and identity. Currently working on a series of articles on race, law, and police violence we are honored to welcome him to the Rector’s Forum.

Sunday afternoon we are honored to host the Diocese of Los Angeles MLK Event beginning at 3:00 p.m. Program includes music by the Episcopal Chorale and a keynote speech by Professor Devon Carbado.

Monday, January 21:

“Let Freedom Ring”: Daylong community reading of MLK speeches, sermons and writings As we continue to live out the call to balance action and reflection, the nave of All Saints Church will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21, for a continuous reading of Dr. King’s speeches, sermons and writings. Anyone can come and take part either as a reader or listener. Texts will be available in English and in Spanish. (NOTE: Though the church is open, offices will be closed on Monday in observance of the MLK holiday). From All Saints’ rector Mike Kinman:

Like most Americans, I grew up knowing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King by the sound bites.

• “I have a dream.”
• “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.”
• “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

About 15 years ago, a friend gave me “A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.” It sat on a shelf for a while, and then, on King’s birthday, I pulled it down and decided I would spend an hour or so reading it.

I opened the book … and didn’t put it down for hours.

A whole new King was opened up to me. One whose love was radical, whose love allowed for anger and even rage. One who railed against capitalism and poverty, Viet Nam and white moderates. A King who was so different from the whitewashed, kum ba yah King that had been sold to me for most of my life.

And so I began a personal tradition, every year on MLK Day, of pulling out that book and spending the day immersing myself in all of his words – not just the sound bites.

When I started at Christ Church Cathedral nine years ago, I learned that our pulpit was one of four places in St. Louis where Dr. King had preached. One day, I was mentioning to someone how meaningful it had become to me to spend King’s birthday reading his writings, and out of that conversation came the idea of a daylong, community reading of Dr. King’s speeches, sermons and writings from the very place where he had preached.

“Let Freedom Ring” was born. We used A Testament of Hope and the extensive collection of the King Papers Project at Stanford, contacted the King Center for permission for a public reading, and set up a simple structure. A large book of readings would be at the front of the church – first at the lectern and eventually in the pulpit from where King preached. People would sign up for half-hour shifts to read … but at any time, someone could walk up indicate they want to take over reading, and just take over. We’d ask people to read for no more than 5 minutes if someone was waiting, and if there was a gap, the shift leader would be there to make sure the reading continued.

We advertised it as a complement of reflection to the King National Day of Service activities taking place in the community. And people came.

They came for a half hour, for two hours, for the entire day. They read and they listened. School groups came after doing service projects and then had conversations about how what they had done and what they heard were related.

The idea of getting “celebrity readers” to draw more people in was floated and quickly dismissed. This was about the people. When Senator Claire McCaskill showed up to read, she waited her turn like everyone else.

Attendance grew every year, and it became one of the signature events of the year at Christ Church Cathedral … and other churches around the country began to pick it up … and we continue the tradition here at All Saints with our third annual offering on Monday, January 21, from 9 am – 5 pm. … and for those who can’t make it down to the church, the whole day will be streamed live online.

I hope you will join me in spreading the word about this event … and coming down for an hour, or two, or even eight and letting the words of this great man wash over you. Hear more than just the sound bites, and let your life be set on fire.

Need more information? Call 626.796.1172
All Saints Church is located at 132 North Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 91101