As a public service, 97.9 WHAV presents Community Spotlight at no charge for the benefit of Greater Haverhill nonprofit organizations. To submit news of events, fundraising appeals and other community calendar announcements, Click image.
Katrina Hobbs-Everett will be presented the “Special Drum Major for Justice Award” this Saturday when Haverhill’s Calvary Baptist Church hosts its first Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
Calvary Baptist Church, the oldest African-American Church in the Merrimack Valley, celebrates King’s life and legacy with a program called “Lifting as We Climb,” presented through song, dance and speech. During a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning program, Calvary Baptist Church Rev. Kenneth M. Young said the event begins Saturday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m., with an art gallery featuring the works of youth artists and the MLK Quilt.
“There’s going to be pictures of the civil rights movement. We have an artist in our church, Steven Perry, with some of his art seen at the Buttonwoods Museum, is going to unveil his special MLK portrait, and we will be doing a silent auction for those who would like to take that home with them,” he said.
The full celebration begins at 3 p.m., in the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church, 3 Ashland St., Haverhill. Evangelist Angela Farris serves as mistress of ceremony and the special musical guest is Elder Terrence Haynes and Voice of Praise of Springfield—as seen on Whitney Houston’s biopic.
“This the same choir seen in the Whitney Houston bio pic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and they’re gonna come be with us, as well as celebrate Drum Major for Justice Award, Katrina Hobbs Everett,” he explained.
The program, will also help raise money for scholarships and outreach programs, such as the food pantry.
On Friday, Jan 13, at 7 p.m. the church will also be participating in a joint Shabbat service at Temple Emanu-El, 514 Main St., Haverhill. The annual service follows the weekly Sabbath liturgy and includes selected readings from the writings of King. Temple Emanu-El Cantor Vera Broekhuysen conducts the service and members of the Greater Haverhill Clergy Association will also participate.
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available via Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.