BATTLE CREEK, MI – Organizers expect this year’s MLK Prayer Brunch on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Hart-Dole Inouye Federal Center to be the biggest in its nearly 20-year history.
MLK Brunch Committee leader, the Rev. William Wyne with Second Missionary Baptist Church, said some 350 people are expected to attend the nearly sold-out event honoring the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In an average year, that number is closer to 200.
Wyne attributed the increased interest to this year’s keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-South Carolina.
Clyburn is the ninth Black congressman of his state, chairman of the Democratic Faith Working Group, and author of the new book “The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation,” which according to Publisher’s Weekly, profiles his eight predecessors who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1868 to 1897.
This year’s MLK Prayer Brunch theme is “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.”
“There’s a lot of violence going on across the country revolving around the political paradigm,” Wyne said. “We’re trying to advocate better relations with each other, with public safety (members), so we can somehow some way decrease the violence, but also bring some peace to the unrest that lives in our communities.”
A news release about the event says it is a way to commemorate principles King taught through example, like courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service.
Michael A. Patton, MLK Brunch Committee member and Southwestern Michigan Urban League CEO said in the release “(The event) also helps advance Dr. King’s vision by advocating for a world where these values are upheld through peaceful means. Together, we can make this mission possible in 2026 and beyond.”
MLK Brunch Committee member Chapel Hill United Methodist Church’s the Rev. Julie Elmore agreed. “For years, this event has been a hallmark of Battle Creek’s commitment to peace and unity,” she said in the release. “It’s a blessing that this annual celebration exists, because it serves as a spiritual beacon that helps guide us into the new year.”
Asked if King’s message is needed now more than ever, Wyne said, “His message has always been needed. It’s not seasonal or for a specific group of people. It’s for the entire nation.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, there were a very limited number of $45 tickets available. They will be sold through 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Second Missionary Baptist Church, 485 N. Washington Ave. There will be no late ticket sales and no tickets will be sold at the door. Attendees must have a physical copy of their identification to enter the event.
Those wishing to buy a signed copy of Clyburn’s book may do so from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday at the church. That event will be facilitated by New Story Community Books of Marshall.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Hundreds expected to attend MLK Prayer Brunch in Battle Creek
Reporting by Kim Kilbride, Special to Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
