People United Against Racism and Lincoln Academy will offer several events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day again this year. All the events are free and open to the public and are on Friday, Jan. 18; Monday, Jan. 21; and Tuesday, Jan. 29. These events are intended to facilitate conversations around how we can work toward Dr. King’s vision of “Beloved Community” and also toward dismantling systemic racism.
• Friday, Jan. 18 at 7:50 a.m.
Lincoln Academy will host an open community meeting in the gym, featuring guest speaker Shanna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Holocaust and Human Rights Center and former Maine state senator, at 81 Academy Hill in Newcastle.
• Monday, Jan. 21, 9 a.m.-noon
Day of community service will be organized at the Second Congregational Church, 51 Main St., in Newcastle. The Baha’i Faith, along with the Lincoln Academy Interact Club, the service fraternity, Alpha Sigma Gamma, and the service sorority, Sigma Sigma Chi, will offer service to the community. Others are welcome to join in providing service by gathering in the Fellowship Hall at 9 a.m. For those requesting student help or assistance between 9 a.m. and noon, call ahead to the Second Congregational Church at 563-3379 to leave request.
From 12 noon to 1 p.m. there will be a special hour-long anti-racism vigil in Veterans Memorial Park, Newcastle. Participants are invited to bring their own signs or pick one up at the back door of the Second Congregational Church.
At 2 p.m. the Lincoln Theater will feature a special holiday screening of “Green Book” rated PG-13. The first 16 Lincoln Academy students presenting a student ID will be admitted free.
A Martin Luther King Jr. service for the entire community will conclude events on Monday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Second Congregational Church, 51 Main St., in Newcastle. The service will be co-led by the Rev. Erika Hewitt, the Rev. Char Corbett and community members. The offering will be given to Maine-Wabanaki REACH. Childcare is provided during the service and it will be followed by a reception and light refreshments. An information fair will be offered during the reception, with materials and volunteers from local organizations providing opportunities for service, action and meeting community needs.
A choir of community members led by Jane Wilmot will be performing during the 7 p.m. service. There will be a rehearsal at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Second Congregational Church, 51 Main St., Newcastle. The choir is open to all who wish to add their voices. Music will be provided. Questions can be directed to Jane at jwilmot@gwi.net.
• Tuesday, Jan. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Green Book” recently won three Golden Globe awards, but has also generated substantial criticism. Join others for a brown-bag lunch discussion of the movie on at the Friends Meetinghouse at 77 Belvedere Road in Damariscotta. The discussion is sponsored by Midcoast Outreach and Peace Center (Quakers) and Coastal Senior College Events Committee, and will be facilitated by Daniel Hall of the Peace Center.
People United Against Racism holds weekly anti-racism vigils from noon to 12:30 p.m. every Monday in Newcastle’s Veterans Memorial park, organizes yearly Martin Luther King Jr. Day events and helps inform the community of ongoing anti-racism efforts. For more information and to receive email notices or to announce events, email peopleuar@gmail.com.
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