Each year Goshen College honors the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. by holding an all-school study day, emphasizing the values and ideals that characterized King’s work. This weekend’s events are sponsored by the Atlee and Winifred Beechy Peace Lectureship Series, Goshen College, and College Mennonite Church.
January 14-15, 2018
Featured Weekend Speaker:
Leonard M. Dow
Stewardship and Development Specialist,
Everence Financial
Leonard M. Dow is the Stewardship and Development Specialist at Everence Financial in Souderton, Pennsylvania. Before joining Everance in April 2017, Dow served as pastor of Oxford Circle Mennonite Church in Philadelphia for almost 20 years. During his tenure, the congregation founded the Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association, which launched many programs, including arts for youths, an annual community and food festival, ESL/GED adult classes, day care center, financial and health classes, legal services, a family resource center and a farmers market. Dow holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern Mennonite University and attended Palmer Theological Seminary. Dow loves the Lord and is married to Dr. Rosalie Rolon-Dow. Together they have three children: Carmela, Marcela and Lorenzo.
Schedule of Events:
Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018
9:30 a.m. — Sermon: Strength to be Healed, Leonard M. Dow
College Mennonite Church, Chapel
11 a.m. — Sermon Discussion
College Mennonite Church, Chapel
7 p.m. — Community Gathering
Umble Center
Featuring local and regional artists. Free admission.
Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
7:30 a.m. — Community Breakfast: Strength to Say Something, Leonard M. Dow
College Mennonite Church, Fellowship Hall
Registration and advance tickets required. Before January 2: $18 per ticket/$144 per eight-person table. After January 2: $22 per ticket /$176 per eight-person table.
Tickets now available online or by calling the Goshen College Box Office at 574.535.7566
9 a.m. — Coffeehouse
College Mennonite Church, Fellowship Hall
Features GC students in a program of poetry and other readings
10 a.m. — *Convocation: Strength to Love, Leonard M. Dow
College Mennonite Church, Chapel
Open to the campus and wider community
*First annual Atlee and Winifred Beechy Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation Lecture
Afternoon Sessions:
12 p.m. — #BelovedCommunity
College Mennonite Church, Fellowship Hall
1:30 p.m. — #BelovedCommunity
College Mennonite Church, Fellowship Hall
3 p.m. — College Community Townhall
College Mennonite Church, Fellowship Hall
Discussion for Goshen College faculty and students
(Check back regularly for updated information)
For more information, contact DaVonne Kramer at dkramer@goshen.edu or 574.535.7030.
*Students may receive up to 4 convocation credits throughout the weekend. Convocation credit is available for all of the events listed above.
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Goshen College on March 10, 1960. At the time, King was leading the struggle for racial equality throughout the South.
Past MLK Jr. Study Days
2017 – Guest: Sarah Thompson
2016 – Guests: Sofia Samatar and Drew Hart
2015 – Guests: Ewuare Osayande and Rev. Kanyere Eaton
2014 – Guests: Anthony Brown and Rebecca Kubacki
2013 – Guests: Dr. Wilbert Smith and Dana Johnson
2012 – Guest speaker: Vincent Harding
2011 – Guests: African-American religious historian Dr. Quinton Dixie and Latino fiction writer Manuel Luis Martinez
2010 – Guests: baritone Anthony Brown, Latina poet Brenda Cárdenas and the Indianapolis youth-led group Latino Youth Collective
2009 – Guests: director of the Indiana University-South Bend Heritage Center Monica Tetzlaff and Triple G Mime Group
2008 – AfriCaribe and African-American theologian Dwight N. Hopkins