MLK Breakfast Preacher urges, ‘Keep moving!’

By C.S. Gilbert

Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown, keynote speaker at Monday’s fourth annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Scholarship Prayer Breakfast, urged active movement in the continuing pursuit of equality and social and economic justice, scolding those “too lazy to break a sweat for God.” Lead sponsor of the event were the Key West Interfaith Ministerial Alliance.

Choosing the story of Moses’ exodus and journey to the Promised Land as a framework, she charged that most people are “camped out in the Valley of Almost,” following “not prophets but p-r-o-f-i-t,” certainly not daring, with King, to take “the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular.”

Fry Brown, professor of homiletics – preaching — at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, used plays on words, copious alliteration and rollicking repetition to deliver a rousing sermon that had the 200 or so in attendance laughing at least as often as offering an “amen!” of agreement. She thoroughly disproved the anti-academic charge, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”

A now-traditional highlight of the morning has become a children’s dramatization produced by the Rev. Phyllis Allen and Michele Lopez and their young students at Trinity Wesleyan and Trinity Presbyterian churches, respectively. The topic this year was, as announced, “Mr. King’s Final Hours.” The children in their Sunday best did well, especially a number of girls of all sizes; outstanding in starring roles of Martin and his friends and colleagues Billy Kyles and Ralph Abernathy were, respectively, Darshaun Carey, Malik Hunter and Azendai Sweeting.

The Rev. Dr. Darryl Robinson took the occasion of the celebration to end his four-year term as association president and turn the gavel over to Dr. Randolph Becker (the only person, incidentally, to address the full Marriott Beachside ballroom without assistance of a microphone). Becker’s vice president will be the Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Magby.

Proceeds of the breakfast support college scholarships for “deserving but disadvantaged students;” it has been held annually on the Monday national holiday celebrating the civil rights hero and martyr birthday, which this year would have been his 85th. King was 39 years old when he was assassinated.

Joining the ministerial alliance in sponsoring the breakfast were the Marriott Beachside, Island City Tile, Debra Butler Design Studio, The Woman’s Club of Key West, Unity of the Keys Spiritual Center and Harpoon Harry’s Restaurant.

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