(Photo: Mark Beeson)
This past Monday my friend and fellow pastor, Rob Wegner, was one of six recipients of the Martin Luther King Drum Major Award, sponsored by the Martin Luther King Foundation, City of South Bend, City of Mishawaka, and the Chamber of Commerce. The award was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King's speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church on February 4, 1968 (Read the speech here) and is given to honor people for their community service in our area.
Rob had this to say on Monday as he received his award:
On behalf of Granger Community Church, I am privileged beyond words to receive this great honor that carries the name of Dr King. He is one of the brightest lights in our country’s history. On this day, we all find our lives elevated by his great faith, his great work and his great vision. Especially in light of tomorrow’s inauguration, it is right for us to pause and recognize what a an emotionally powerful and historic moment this is. One that goes beyond the ordinary politics that we are all accustomed to. In large part due to legacy of Dr King, the whole world will now see an idea of American Leadership that reaches beyond white males. Tomorrow, the whole world will see the American ideal of racial equality realized in a whole new way.
Regarding the Drum Major award, I stand here merely as a representative of the people of Granger Community Church. As is true of any great endeavor, the work that Mayor Rea described as our gift to this community extends so far beyond the gifts and talents and devotion of any one person. If it weren’t for the willing hearts and hands of the people called Granger Community Church, if it weren’t for the support and brilliant leadership of our Senior Pastor Mark Beeson, a much smaller story would have been told this morning.
On behalf of Granger Community Church, I want to say, it is our commitment to continue the great work of service that Dr King has called all of us to. These are his words..
“.. Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness… by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”
Rob, I'm grateful for your commitment to the kingdom of God and your faithfulness to teach, mobilize and model for others what "up there", "down here" looks like.
