Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Gathering to focus on ‘Building a Beloved Community’
Annual tradition unveils new format in 33rd year
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 1, 2023
“Ruby Bridges on the Shoulders of Giants” by Diane de Grasse is among the pieces featured in the “Hearts & Minds” exhibit at the Red House Gallery. The display, which runs through March 13, supports the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Gathering. Photo by Fred McCormick
A local tradition honoring the legacy of a Civil Rights icon will return for its 33rd year, beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 4, when the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Gathering comes together in the sanctuary of the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church.
The fundraiser, which supports scholarships for graduates of Owen and Buncombe Community High Schools, will include a benediction by Reverend Scott Burgess, executive associate minister of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Asheville, centered around the theme: “Building a Beloved Community.”
Organized by the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Corp., the event was established as a prayer breakfast in 1991, endeavoring to present the life and teachings of King in an effort to bring knowledge and awareness to people in the local community. The nonprofit’s annual fundraiser was hosted by several area conference centers, including Ridgecrest and Camp Dorothy Walls, before shifting to a virtual platform as a prayer gathering in 2021 and 2022, following the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its return to in-person fellowship offered an opportunity to bring the gathering into the heart of Black Mountain while maintaining an informal setting, according to organizers.
“Black Mountain Presbyterian was interested in facilitating community outreach, and we were grateful when they offered to host us,” said Shelia Showers, president of the eight-member SVMLK Memorial Corp. Board of Directors. “It will be an informal gathering, but we will offer coffee, pastries and fruit. Our goal is to encourage engagement among those who attend.”
The event will continue its long-standing tradition of hosting keynote speakers with Burgess, who will be the 32nd guest orator hosted by the SVMLK Memorial Corp. The minister, who has lived in Asheville since 2001, is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam in upstate N.Y., where he obtained a degree in psychology, and served as pastor of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville for eight years, prior to his 2019 return to Mt. Zion.
“We are excited to have Rev. Burgess join us this year,” Showers said. “I’ve heard him speak, and he will certainly be a great fit for the gathering. We’re really looking forward to listening to his message.”
A 25-member community choir comprised of vocalists representing churches, including Mill Chapel Baptist, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley and Black Mountain Presbyterian, will perform at the event, which will open with an introduction from Showers.
The gathering will also include a proclamation read by Black Mountain Vice Mayor Archie Pertiller, Jr. and the audience will hear from previous SVMLK Memorial Scholarship recipients and Black Mountain Presbyterian Pastor Mary Katherine Robinson.
“With this being the first year back in a physical setting, our board worked really hard to create an event that brings the community together and encourages people to share ideas,” Showers said. “We are going to ask people to write down ideas for projects they would like to see our organization initiate, which works well since holding it in Black Mountain Presbyterian really puts us right in the center of the community.”
Support from local organizations and businesses - including Black Mountain Digital Media, which will film the gathering and produce a video for the SVMLK Memorial website - has been heartening, according to Showers.
Ten Thousand Villages in Montreat will donate a portion of sales revenue generated, Sunday, Feb. 5, to the nonprofit organization, while another 2023 partnership involves the “Minds and Hearts” exhibit, featured at the Red House Gallery through Monday, March 13.
The “Minds and Hearts” exhibit in the Red House Gallery, one of several community partnerships involving the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Gathering, includes the piece, “Everyday People” by Marilyn Place. Photo by Fred McCormick
Curated by Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Director Ron Maffett and Studio Artist Board Chair Nora Mosrie, the exhibit includes work that “speaks to both the mind and heart,” while inspiring and encouraging others. A portion of the proceeds generated by the exhibit will support the mission of the gathering.
The SVMLK Memorial Corp. has awarded more than 100 new and renewal scholarships to local public school graduates since 2015, honoring King’s philosophy of love, unity and peace to realize the dream of justice and equality for all. Each year, applicants are required to submit essays describing how the work of the civil rights leader influenced or inspired them.
“Education is such a key component in helping local children build futures that will allow them to impact this community, and others,” Showers said. “We feel it’s important to support our local graduates while emphasizing Dr. King’s vision, as they begin their journeys.”
Tickets for the SVMLK Prayer Gathering are $15 for adults, $10 for children under the age of 12 and can be purchased at svmlk.org.