The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
March 26, 2023 - March 27, 2023
SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2023
4PM
BERKELEY HILLS LUTHERAN CHURCH
(517 SANGREE ROAD, PITTSBURGH, PA 15237)
In-Person & Live Streamed
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will be celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an ecumenical service of Holy Communion to which all are welcome. The service will encourage membership of the SWPA synod and the synod’s partners to be engaged actively in the practice of nonviolence in our continuing efforts to build the Beloved Community in Pittsburgh. The focus of this year’s service is “A Home for ALL in the Beloved Community.”
2023 Theme:
A Home for ALL in the Beloved Community
Equitable Development and Housing in Pittsburgh
PRESIDING:
Bishop Kurt Kusserow
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod
Bishop Abraham Allende
Northeastern Ohio Synod, Retired
PREACHING
Rev. Dr. Asa J. Lee
President, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
and Professor of Theological Formation for Ministry
Dr. Lee, an ordained Baptist minister, previously served as vice president for campus administration, associate dean for community life, and director of African American studies at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He was licensed by the Faith Shepherd Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., and ordained by the Mount Olive Baptist Church of Arlington, Virginia., where he served for 10 years as the assistant pastor and minister of Christian education. Dr. Lee is a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia, where he majored in music education. He holds a master of divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary.
Program Following the Liturgy:
“A HOME FOR ALL IN THE BELOVED COMMUNITY”
Panel Discussion on Equitable Development and Housing in Pittsburgh
&
Small group conversation with housing experts in Pittsburgh
Dr. King’s Vision of the Beloved Community entails a home for all, especially those who are denied adequate housing due to poverty, injustice, and a lack of access to basic community resources. Pittsburgh is currently experiencing a crisis due to the lack of affordable housing. Homelessness has increased by 20% in 2022-2023 and “underhoused” persons are pushed to the edges of our communities both literally and metaphorically. Many see the Pittsburgh Region as one of the most “liveable communities” in the nation, but this is not true for those who cannot afford to stay stably housed in our communities. How would Dr. King “see” this situation and what is our response as people of God?
Email Pastor Melissa Stoller with any questions about the event. melissa.stoller@elca.org
