January 11, 2023
Page 21
“Empower the Dream” Service
Continued from Page 14
The keynote speaker will be
the Rev. Dr. W.J. Mark Knut-
son, Senior Pastor of Augustana
Lutheran Church in Portland.
He has served Augustana since
December 1995 and has spear-
headed the effort resulting in
a successful ballot measure to
curb gun violence. The Bal-
lot Measure 114, though it has
drawn a certain amount of op-
position, was passed by Oregon
voters this past November.
Augustana is a growing mul-
ticultural congregation in the
heart of the city, now in its
110th year. Since then, Augus-
tana has grown from 243 mem-
bers in 1995 to an 800-member
congregation that is also home
to several non-profits includ-
ing the Community Alliance of
Tenants, Familias en Accion,
the Society for Haitian Arts,
Culture and Social Support, Ir-
vington Cooperative Preschool,
the Well Arts Institute, and the
Interfaith Movement for Immi-
grant Justice. Over the past 30
years, Dr. Knutson has served
on many local and national
boards and committees, and has
keynoted and conducted work-
shops in a variety of settings.
Vancouver Avenue is one
of Portland’s historic venues
and the only church in Oregon
where the late Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. addressed the
“Beloved Community” in No-
vember 1961 as part of his trip
to the Pacific Northwest during
the Civil Rights era. The public
is encouraged to attend; dona-
tions are encouraged during the
service. All donation proceeds
go to the Drum Major Schol-
arship Fund to support future
awards. If one can’t afford to
make a donation, it will not be
a barrier to entry. Please join us
for this great event.
When asked about the mean-
ing of the event against the
current social and political
backdrop, Rev. Dr. J.W. Matt
Hennessee, Senior Servant of
Vancouver Avenue First Bap-
tist said, “In times like these, it
is imperative that we gather as
a community to work together,
celebrate together, and collabo-
rate together to ensure a vibrant,
inclusive, and constructive fu-
ture. The spirit and legacy of Dr.
King, Mrs. King, Mrs. Parks, Ms.
Yolanda D. King, leaders like
President Mandela, Malcolm X,
and so many who came before us
is what gives us encouragement
and hope that we will overcome
the difficulties, stresses, and
strains of now and continue to
build bridges that help create the
‘Beloved Community.’”
The annual Drum Major Cel-
ebration honors the life and leg-
acy of Dr. King, Mrs. Coretta
Scott King, Ms. Rosa Parks, and
Ms. Yolanda D. King. Each of
them, in their own unique way,
serve as a beacon light to anyone
who is determined to help make
our nation and the world better.
Vancouver Avenue First Bap-
tist Church, the celebration is
scheduled for the Sunday im-
mediately prior to the federal
holiday honoring the late Civil
Rights leader, Martin Luther
King Junior Day. The Empow-
er the Dream inter-faith gather-
ing and speaker series will take
place on Sunday, January 15th
at Vancouver Avenue First Bap-
tist Church Sanctuary, 3138 N.
Vancouver Avenue in Portland
from 2:00 PM-4:00 PM.
The public is encouraged to
attend both programs and do-
nations are encouraged, but
should not be a barrier for at-
tendance. All donation pro-
ceeds go to the Drum Major
Scholarship Fund to support
future scholarship awards.
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