Spent Transfiguration Sunday morning with the warm and welcoming folks of Mt. Olive-Dallas. Closing our Black History month with a celebratory service of worship that featured recitation of poems by Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. An amazing solo, and ended with the vibrantly sung “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
After service was fellowship and sharing of resources to learn more about black history both nationally and in Dallas. Mt. Olive holds a special place in the history of the Fair Park community and in the civil rights movement in Dallas When Dr. King and SCLC were not welcomed in most churches in Dallas, Mt. Olive and our first NT-NL Synod, ELCA bishop, the Rev. Mark Herbener provided space. At one time Mt. Olive also had a school and that building has throughout the years served in many other ways.
That service continues with a food pantry (remember two weeks ago the folks at New Life in Christ-Duncanville dedicated their “Souper Bowl of Caring” funds to that pantry. Known as a place of hospitality while we were having fellowship a passerby came up asking for bus fare. Without any commotion that fare was provided along with a plate of food. It didn’t take long for word to spread on MLK Ave and soon our fellowship came to include some of the members of the neighborhood who are experiencing homelessness as well. Hospitality embodied. God’s glory in the presence with the people in community. #NTNL #InMissionTogether