The 14th Annual Heschel-King Interfaith Service was a fitting tribute to the friendship of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. The evening was especially warm and intimate, with the combined choirs of The Park and Congregation Da'at Elohim leading us in prayer.
Rev. Dr. Jon M. Walton, Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, received the 8th Annual Heschel-King Award for Interfaith Activism. His sermon, "Is there only one God, and is ours the right one?" was a paen to interfaith acceptance and cooperation
Paul Vasile, our beloved Minister of Music, reminded me after having attended the New Year's Eve Watch Night Service at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, of the song, I Wish I Knew How to be Free.
It became one of the anthems of the Civil Rights movement written by Billy Taylor, jazz pianist and composer who died this past December and was memorialized at the Riverside Church this past Monday. Taylor wrote the song in 1967 for the iconic Nina Simone.
I have been humming it for the past few weeks. It has become in many ways my theme song for the new year -- particularly so in light of the tragedy in Tucson.
As we pass through the 56th street church we move to the 81st street location of the Central Christian Church. On the way passengers on the bus break into song about the Central Christian. This church was home to the Chinese Bible School, which began at 56th street location in 1899 and was there for over a decade before moving to 81st street.
We travel to Second Avenue at 10th street where Rev. Payne discusses the Disciples Community House. This center served thousands of people per year, yet it was short-lived because the financing supporting the community house was cut due to the depression.
Rev. Payne discusses the history of “the Disciples Meeting House”. He comments on Silas Shepard, the congregation’s first full-time pastor, and Urban C. Brewer, a strong supporter of the abolitionist movement.
