For 草莓社区 (EMU) student Brad Mullet, part of Martin Luther King Jr.鈥檚 legacy means volunteerism. (Check out photos of MLK Day!)
Mullet, a 19-year-old sophomore from Berlin, Ohio, joined fellow students Monday afternoon helping to clean up Blacks Run in Harrisonburg.
The volunteer project was one of more than a dozen events organized by EMU to honor the late civil rights leader on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
鈥淭he whole day is really booked,鈥� said Mullet, a biology major. 鈥淚 think EMU has done a good job promoting what he promoted in his speeches: service.鈥�
The centerpiece of the university鈥檚 festivities was a chapel service, led by Christian author and peace activist Shane Claiborne.
During his speech in Lehman Auditorium, he acknowledged that much has been done to promote King鈥檚 message of equality and nonviolence worldwide.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful thing to celebrate 鈥β� but we have a long way to go,鈥� said the 37-year-old Kensington, Pa., resident.
Claiborne challenged those in attendance to take time to act when they see injustice or someone in need. Often, he said, people are too wrapped up in their busy schedules.
Sometimes, Claiborne said, we have to ignore our schedules and answer the call to action.
鈥淎llow space for interruption,鈥� he said.
Before ending the service, he played a recording his friend made of Iraqi youths singing 鈥淲e Shall Overcome鈥� in Arabic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely magical,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e pray that we shall overcome one day.鈥�
Throughout the day, the university hosted a variety of events, including the reading of King鈥檚 鈥渓etter from Birmingham Jail,鈥� and service projects.
While the campus has celebrated MLK Day in the past, Brian Burkholder, campus pastor, said this year the university expanded its efforts to help build relationships with the community.
鈥淢artin Luther King鈥檚 legacy connects deeply with the values, mission and vision of EMU 鈥β� the call for justice 鈥β� for peace building,鈥� Burkholder said.
Courtesy Daily News Record, Jan. 22, 2013
[Editor’s note: EMU freelance writer Steve Shenk also published an article on Shane Claiborne and MLK Day of Service and Learning which can be found on the .]