Parkdale United Church hosts annual Martin Luther King Jnr celebration
Sunday 20 January 2019
Some 300 people were at the Parkdale United Church on Parkdale Avenue to participate in a worship service in celebration of the life of the late U.S.-born globally renowned civil rights icon, Martin Luther King Jnr. Rev. Anthony Bailey presided over the hour-long ceremony, under the theme: “Inciting God’s Community”. The service was spiced with the presence of Montreal-based Imani Gospel Singers, who had made the brave journey to Ottawa under icy-cold winter storm conditions. Led by Marcia Bailey, the choir gave several rousing renditions of popular hymns and civil rights songs in honour of King who was assassinated in his prime by a hate-filled bigot, even as he preached peace, love and reconciliation among all people regardless of race, religion, gender and more. Rev Bailey’s eloquent sermon echoed Martin Luther King’s message of the need to choose love over hate, no matter one’s circumstances.
All photographs copyright Black Ottawa Scene