‘Just Mercy’ Author & Attorney Bryan Stevenson To Deliver the Keynote Address at the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service Tomorrow, Jan. 16…

President Biden Delivered Sunday Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church TODAY!

Hello World,

The King Center will host the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service tomorrow, Jan. 16, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, at 10 a.m., at Ebenezer’s Horizon Sanctuary, 101 Auburn Ave., Atlanta. The service will broadcast live on FOX 5 Atlanta and livestream on Facebook, YouTube, fox4atlanta.com, and thekingcenter.org.

The 54th Annual Commemorative Service is the hallmark of the King Holiday Observance.  The Rev. Natosha Reid Rice and Pastor Sam Collier will preside over the event. The King Center CEO, the Rev. Bernice A. King, will give the Call to Commemoration. This year’s keynote speaker is Bryan Stevenson, lawyer, social justice activist, law professor at New York University School of Law,  founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (which was made into a movie starring Michael B. Jordan) U.S. Senator and Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, will give pastoral and city greetings, respectively. Several special guests will give tributes to Dr. King including:

  • Leo Smith, CEO, Engaged Futures Group, LLC
  • Rick West, founding director and director emeritus, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution
  • Renee Montgomery, co-owner and vice president of the Atlanta Dream
  • Pastor Dennis Rouse, author and founding pastor of Victory Church
  • Veronica Maldonado-Torres, president and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Somalia Gilliard, a senior and Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, will give a special tribute to Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

The commemorative service will feature performances by musical guests: Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Justin Schultz, Morton, Minister Angella Christie, Ashling Cole, Uzee Brown, and Bishop William Murphy. The Commemorative Service Choir will perform, accompanied by The Covington Regional Ballet. There will be an international musical performance by the Far East Broadcasting Company Korea Children’s Choir.

Additionally, President Biden delivered the Sunday sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of Dr. King,  TODAY! Read more about what he said HERE.

I’m forever grateful for the sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family. God has truly used them in a mighty way…

Any thoughts?

Atlanta Hawks to Host ‘Faith and Family Celebration’ on Friday, March 3 Featuring Performances by Award-Winning Gospel Artist Marvin Sapp!

Hello World,

In recognition of National Faith Day, the Atlanta Hawks recently announced details for its “Faith and Family Celebration.” The game presented by Chick-fil-A will take place on Friday, March 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers. As part of the night’s festivities, multiple award-winning gospel artist and celebrated pastor Bishop Marvin L. Sapp will perform at halftime as well as a postgame concert.

“I am ecstatic about singing during the Atlanta Hawks’ Faith and Family Celebration,” said Bishop Sapp. “As an avid basketball fan, I’m very familiar with the saying ‘ball is life.’ The game brings fans so much joy, and it can be an all-consuming pastime. Combining that passion with an appreciation for family and the powerful hopefulness of faith is a great way to celebrate what the game of basketball means to so many people. I am grateful to be a part of it.”

Bishop Sapp’s gift is celebrated across musical genres. He is a multiplatinum-selling artist who has enjoyed a decorated music career receiving 13 GRAMMY® Award nominations, 24 Stellar Awards, two Soul Train Music Awards, two BET Awards, four Dove Awards, eight BMI songwriter’s awards for sales, Black Music Honors Gospel Music Icon Award along with many other accolades and honors from national, regional and local institutions.

In addition, Bishop Sapp is a passionate orator and biblical teacher. He is the co-founder of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas. He is also the Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Global United Fellowship, which consists of 2,200 churches in 22 countries. Additionally, Tv One aired his original biopic, “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” in 2022.

During previous Faith and Family Celebrations, Hawks’ fans have seen performances from GRAMMY® Award-winning inspirational hip-hop artist Lecrae and contemporary Christian music and gospel singer Koryn Hawthorne and Berean Christian Church as well as the dynamic and multiple award-winning gospel artist Jekalyn Carr.

Limited tickets remain for the game presented by Chick-fil-A on Friday, March 3. To secure tickets, visit Hawks.com/Tickets. To purchase the special ticket offer for the Family and Faith Celebration, which includes a black Atlanta Hawks t-shirt, food and beverage value and a ticket to the game, visit Hawks.com/Faith.

Kansas City Pastor Carlton Funderburke Criticizes His Congregation For Not Buying Him a Watch, Calls Them ‘Poor, Broke, Busted and Disgusted…’

Hello World,

When I come across these types of stories, I have to remind myself there are scores of wonderful pastors throughout the country and the world who will never get recognized on a large platform but that does not mean they are not significant and not doing God’s work. Meanwhile, “pastors” such as Carlton Funderburke sully the cause of Christ by being wolves in sheep’s clothing and going viral for their shenanigans…

The latest wolf is Pastor Carlton Funderburke who is supposed to be the shepherd over Church at The Well in Kansas City, Missouri. However, earlier this month, he revealed his heart when he went slap off on his sheep about a doggone watch…See below…

In the clip, Pastor Funderburke says, “That’s how I know you’re still poor, broke, busted and disgusted because how you have been honoring me. I’m not worth your McDonald’s money. I’m not worth your Red Lobster money. I aine worth your St. John knit? Y’all can’t afford it no how. I aine worth your Louis Vuitton? I’m not worth your Prada? I’m not worth your Gucci?…You can buy a Movado watch in Sam’s! And y’all know I asked for one last year. Here it is the whole way in August, and I still aine got it! Y’all still aine saying nothin’! Let me kick down the doors and talk to my cheap sons and daughters! I don’t want to hear no more excuses about what you can’t afford. You can’t afford it because you don’t see the value here! Y’all hear from your pastor and father. I’m over y’all. I’m over your cheap expressions.”

Now based on how he framed his criticism as he mentioned what he didn’t get a year ago, I imagine it was the pastor’s anniversary and that he was expecting to be honored for his service by the congregation. As I’m a pastor’s daughter who has been to many pastor’s anniversary events over the years, I firmly believe the congregation should take the time to honor the pastor on at least a yearly basis. Being a pastor is not easy and everyone needs encouragement from time to time no matter the vocation. However, where Pastor Funderburke messed up was being flat out being materialistic…Although I’m not a labels person, I don’t see anything necessarily wrong with liking labels. Still, to expect his congregation to bless him with labels AND to state that out loud is just stupid. He needs to buy his own labels and accept that his congregation will honor him in the way that they have deemed fit…This is a rant that he should have saved for just his wife. We all get in our feelings sometimes, but what we do with those feelings demonstrates our heart AND character…And the fact is although some pastors are very wealthy, the vast majority are not…if Pastor Funderburke continues to feel this way, he should find another line of work where he is guaranteed enough money to afford McDonald’s, Red Lobster, St. John Knits, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Movado on his own…

Since this video has gone viral, an apology video has been released, see below…

I’m glad he apologized, but this is not the type of man who could be my shepherd, particularly at this time of history. The world has been fighting with COVID for two years and now monkeypox is on the horizon! A formula shortage threatened to leave many of the country’s babies starving. Gas prices are out of control. And here is the pastor wasting his saliva, spewing nonsense talking’ bout a Movado watch when he probably has a cell phone that can also function as watch! People come to church to be comforted not criticized over something so inconsequential…

Anywho, that’s all I have to say on this…

Any thoughts?