The third annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Leadership Summit at Hope College will explore the theme “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365” through multiple sessions on Monday, Jan. 20, at the college’s Haworth Hotel.
The summit is taking place in conjunction with National Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with activities including two blocks of three concurrent breakout sessions that will explore how King’s legacy provides a model for living into the grace of freedom; how justice can be recaptured as a biblical principal and a central discipline of the Christian faith; and ways to navigate a diversity of perspective and thought around potentially divisive topics. It is being sponsored the college’s Office of Campus Ministries in partnership with Holland-based I AM Academy.
The public is invited. Admission is free, but advance registration is required through the event’s online listing at: hope.edu/calendar
The summit will open with a coffee hour from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
The first block of breakout sessions will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., with each led by a Hope College student organization: the Black Student Union; a panel with members of the Hope Democrats and Hope Republicans; and Markets and Morality.
The college’s Chapel service on Monday, Jan. 20, will feature the sermon “The Joy of Worship,” part of the Redemption and Renewal Series organized by the Campus Ministries team, by the Rev. Shomari Tate, chaplain of discipleship at Hope, with additional participation by the Christ Collective. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. Guests are welcome, but space will be limited — the chapel is regularly at capacity during the weekday-morning services.
The lunchtime break will feature an opportunity to participate in informal discussions about what it would look like to put a compassionate discourse into action through a Christian lens on campus. Titled “Courageous Conversations,” the event will run from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Haworth Hotel. Lunch will be provided for those who are participating in conjunction with the summit.
The second block of breakout sessions will take place from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. and each will be led by one or more members of the faculty and staff: Anna Bonnema, assistant professor of mentoring instruction; Dr. Sarah Kornfield, associate professor of communication; and a faculty and staff panel.
The day will conclude with a reception from approximately 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the college’s van Andel Huys der Hope. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.
The leadership summit expanded to be open to the public last year after debuting in 2023 as an event for the campus community. It is organized by Hope students with mentoring by the college’s Campus Ministries Office.
The summit will also feature participation for the second year by the Holland-based non-profit organization, I AM Academy.
The leadership summit will be preceded during the previous week by the college’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Lecture, which will be presented on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel and is organized by the college’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The speaker will be John M. Williams, who is president and CEO of Akron Urban League and will feature the theme “A Woke Messiah: Jesus Died to Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity and Defeat Poverty.” The public is invited, and admission is free.
The summit will also be led into by the college’s The Gathering worship service on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 8 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. The sermon will be titled “Despised and Rejected” and delivered by Tate, with additional participation by the Christ Collective. As with the college’s Chapel services, guests are welcome but space is limited because the college is regularly at capacity during services.
The national observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is held on the third Monday in January, which is Jan. 20 in 2025. The observance correspondingly takes place on or near King’s birthdate of Jan. 15 (1929).
To inquire about accessibility or if you need accommodations to fully participate in events at the college, please email accommodations@hope.edu. Updates related to events are posted when available at hope.edu/calendar in the individual listings.
The Haworth Hotel is located at 225 College Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets. Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., at the corner of College Avenue and 12th Street. The Van Andel Huys der Hope is located at 111 E. 13th St., but is in the central campus facing the former 12th Street between College and Columbia avenues.