Remembering Selma – Affirming Our Call

/ Justice Ministry / By /
Martin Luther King, Jr and others marching in Selma

Hundreds filled the cavReading Program at Unitarian Universalist Churchernous sanctuary at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA) on March 4, 2015 in spiritual preparation for 50th anniversary of the Selma Voting Rights Campaign.

Entitled “Remembering Selma – Affirming our Call,” the event used music, prayer and words of inspiration to remember those who, with courage, faced violence and marched for justice from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

Among those honored was Rev. James Reeb, a Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister, who responded to a call from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to stand on the side of justice. Rev. Reeb was attached and killed during the civil rights protests in Selma. Rev. Reeb’s family attended the service and participated in the chalice lighting ceremony.

Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian, a colleague of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was the evening’s guest speaker. Rev. Vivian was a strategist in the civil rights movement and is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Rev. Davis (background) L-R Rev. Jones, Rev, Taddeo, Rev. Teague
Rev. Davis (background)
L-R Rev. Jones, Rev, Taddeo, Rev. Teague

Other speakers included:

  • Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, a representative from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), who provided greetings on behalf of the UUA’s president, Rev. Peter Morales.
  • Rev. Terry Davis, minister at Northwest, participated with other UU ministers in a collective reading of a letter from the Rev. Reeb.
  • Lula Joe Williams, a veteran of the civil rights movement, gave an uplifting remembrance of the movement and noted the hope that Rev. King gave to the movement.
Rev. Anthony Makar Senior Minister UUCA
Rev. Anthony Makar
Senior Minister
UUCA

Rev. Anthony Makar, senior minister at UUCA, delivered a compelling sermon calling attention to the fact that standing on the side of love is a potent force for achieving justice. He acknowledged the work that has been done to obtain racial justice and affirmed the call we have to continue the journey.

There was powerful music that filled the sanctuary with a reverent sense of remembrance as well as resounding affirmation that love and justice will prevail.

(featured image credit: “Selma to Montgomery March.” Penn State Special Collections. Part of the Jack Rabin collection on Alabama civil rights and southern activists, 1941-2004 (bulk 1956-1974) , Historical Collections and Labor Archives, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University.)