The congregation of First Lutheran Church of Venice (FLV) and its REACH (Racial Equality and Connecting Hands) ministry will conclude its Black History Celebration, on Sunday, March 27, at 10 a.m., in the sanctuary located at 815 Venice Blvd., in Los Angeles.
According to Pastor John Palka, the program will feature a vibrant and educational presentation highlighting the little-known story of Black contributions to the Venice community. Also, the service will salute the artistic expression, gospel music and culture of African Americans as well as include Vicar Kirk Bauer and a sermon by Pastor Palka.
The REACH ministry team was established at First Lutheran Church in 2020 after a number of church members took a class authored by Lutheran Pastor B. Keith Haney titled, “One Nation Under God: Healing Racial Divides in America.”
The purpose of the REACH team is education and outreach. In addition to the pastor, the members of the ministry are Hal Printup, Kathryn Dunst, Carol Raines-Brown and Phil Hughes.
Hughes shared, “We believe that those called by Christ to be part of His body — the Church — form one of the most diverse communities on the face of the earth.” Printup, a Native American, said, “By honoring the contributions of our Black brothers and sisters, we honor the value of all people of color.”
Early In 2021, Venice residents received Betsy Goldman’s annual calendar which focused on Celebrating Black Contributions in Venice. Profiles of the contributors will be displayed during the service.
“The REACH team is grateful to Betsy for permission to use the contents of the calendar and highlight the work of some of Venice’s distinguished citizens,” said Dunst.
The service will close with the history and legacy of Black gospel music including a tribute to Thomas A. Dorsey, referred to as the “Father of Gospel Music.”
Program participants include vocals by Raines-Brown, flute by Dr. Dawn Norfleet, marimba by Joseph Mitchell, drums by Ronald Turner, piano by Kevin O’Neal, and guitar by Daryl Darden. Also, the FLV Praise Band will perform.
The community is invited to attend. For more information, contact First Lutheran Church of Venice at 310.821.2740 or visit FLVenice.org.
