Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast

Our 2021 Virtual MLK Interfaith Breakfast featured Dr. Mark A. Hicks. Dr. Hicks is the Angus MacLean Professor of Religious Education at Meadville Lombard (Chicago) who also directs the activities of The Fahs Collaborative: A Laboratory for Innovation in Faith Formation. As a scholar and practitioner of faith formation, Dr. Hicks calls upon the disciplines of philosophy and education, transformative learning, critical pedagogy and arts education as foundations for holistic, spiritually/emotionally grounded teaching and learning. His teaching and scholarship have been acclaimed by colleagues for their impact, and also lauded by participants whose learning is deepened by his ideas and practices.
The FaithBridge Board in conjunction with Humanity Rising recommended to present two awards(financial awards, and asked the students to speak on their service projects):

1) Kyra N (Huntley, IL)
2) Samantha F and Sydney H (Deerfield, IL)

Also two youth were recognized for their projects (Introducing themselves and summarizing their service):
1) Ashley W (Lake Villa, IL)
2) Prarthana P (Aurora, IL)

The 2021 Keynote Speaker Dr. Mark A. Hicks:

Our 2020 MLK Interfaith Breakfast featured Reverend Doctor Norval I. Brown, lead pastor of the Christ United Methodist Church in Deerfield, IL.

Our 2019 MLK Interfaith Breakfast featured Dr. Robert C. Henderson, Member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’is of the United States as our keynote speaker; he provided us with inspiration.
“Uniting our Divided Country—With Liberty and Justice for All”

Held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day every January, this event brings together people of all faiths to commemorate the achievements of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and to celebrate our belief in the unity of the human race and the sacredness of creation.

A delicious vegetarian buffet is shared at the D’Andrea’s Banquet Center, 4419 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake. The program includes prayers, readings and music, from a variety of traditions. The keynote speaker is selected by the Board to bring a message that helps us understand our part in creating justice and peace in the world. Past speakers have included: Rev Zina Jacque from Community Church of Barrington, Imam Plemon El-Amin, Imam Emeritus of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam, Rev. Dr. Calvin Morris, first Executive Director of the King Center in Atlanta, Dawn Turner Trice, author and columnist for The Chicago Tribune, Ernest Brooks, III, Assistant Dean of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and Dr. Ronald Beauchamp, Director of the Niebuhr Center at Elmhurst College.

In 2014, FaithBridge held an essay contest for Middle School Students, on the topic “My Dream for the world.” Winning essays were read at the MLK breakfast.

For 2015, the essay contest topic was “How do you bring peace in the midst of challenge and controversy?” The winner was Zachary, from Belinda Strobel’s class at Bernotas Middle School.

The 2016 topic was “Awake: How do you wish to see the world in twenty years? Remember you are an active participant in these changes.”

The 2017 topic was “Honestly Confronting Racism.”

Our 2019 Middle School Essay Winners were Maggie Smith and Able Arce.

The contest is open to all local students in grades 6-8.