Brooklyn Heights Synagogue and First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn will jointly host musical interfaith services to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. At BHS this Friday, Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m., the soul-stirring BHS and FPC choirs will perform together and the inimitable Rev. Adriene Thorne of FPC will bring the word. At FPC on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 11:00 a.m., the choirs will rouse the congregation and the incomparable Rabbi Serge A. Lippe will deliver the word.
Asked about the joint services, Rev. Thorne said,
At a time when religious bans are normalized, when the protected status of immigrants is in jeopardy, when neighbors are feeling left out, left behind, and left on their own, Interfaith relationships matter. As a person of faith who follows a Jewish rabbi named Jesus, I put great value in my Interfaith relationships and what they make me question and better understand about Christianity. I am a better Christian because I spend time with Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and people of no faith.
Rabbi Lippe added,
Fifty years ago, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel offered these words to colleagues when introducing Dr. King, “Martin Luther King represents a voice, a vision, and a way… I am convinced that the whole future of America depends on how seriously we take this voice, this vision, and this way.” As we approach a half century since Dr. King’s prophetic voice was silenced, women and men of good faith must not content ourselves with simply reiterating his message, we must act and respond to the challenge of his vision. It is not enough to be inspired by Dr. King’s soaring oratory, we must be willing to discomfort ourselves in order to establish his vision: “It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people. Justice cannot be divided. Justice is indivisible.”
All are welcome. See flyer below, the BHS website, and the FPC facebook page for more details.
Comments are closed.