Unity, Peacemaking and Acts of Kindness

This year’s theme is, “Unity, Peacemaking and Acts of Kindness.”  The description of Service Day is attached.  Your presence is welcomed and needed to help make this world a better place to live, work, worship and raise our families.  Dr. King’s messages of Unity, Peacemaking and Acts of Kindness begin with us.  Let’s show Albany Park businesses and residents that we embody these principles, live them out, and actively participate in being the ‘Beloved Community.’Immediately following the Martin Luther King, Jr. Worship, North Park University, Theological Seminary and the community at large will be engaged in developing relationships that promote “Unity, Peacemaking, and Acts of Kindness.” This is the theme of North Park University’s Service Day to commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  As a community, we will be together to worship God, remember the birth and life of Dr. King, and then be about the service of serving others in the Albany Park community.

At 12 noon:

• Students, staff and faculty will gather immediately following the worship service for a brief overview of the afternoon
• Small groups of 5-6 people will form and introduce themselves. A scribe/and or leader for the group will be decided from within the group. The group should consist of a mixture of students, faculty and staff; also mixed ethnicity and gender if possible

The Neighborhood Journey
Groups will be sent out into the Albany Park community to visit neighborhood eateries, coffee shops, businesses, and some residents and churches if open and welcoming. The group will introduce themselves to people within the establishments, explain their presence as Service Day Volunteers; extend an invitation to sit and talk with people, offer them a cup of coffee or an affordable snack and engage in conversations by asking permission to record personal information—names, origins of birth, and the following questions:

1. What brought them to the Albany Park neighborhood
2. If they are not native born to the city or country, ask where they migrated from
3. Share your story as to how you got to Albany Park via NPU and listen to their stories
4. Explain that its MLK day and to commemorate Dr. King’s birthday, the group is promoting  Dr. King’s philosophy of unity, peacemaking and acts of kindness by being present within the community. Ask if you can take the person’s photograph. Also feel free to take pictures places along your route you visit with your group
5. Ask the people you visit with what this day means to them and how can we together promote Dr. King’s ideas of unity, peacemaking and acts of kindness.

Groups will reconvene at 2:00 p.m. in Anderson Chapel to share their experiences and conclude with an offering of prayer.

For more information regarding the MLK Worship and Service Day, contact Velda Love vlove@northpark.edu or Richard Kohng rkohng@northpark.edu