History of the Symposium
"Do You Have a Dream for Tomorrow?" During the summer of 2003 I went on a mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I was invited to speak at the Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs in Goma on this topic, drawing upon the biblical stories of Joseph and the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A few months later I saw an article in the Telegraph by a local African-American pastor (Rev. Dr. Lonzy Edwards) encouraging local religious leaders to come together to talk about overcoming the racial segregation of our churches.
Not long afterward I had a vivid dream myself, in which I saw myself at Mercer with a group of scholars (both African-American & white) whom I had gathered to address the same topic and with the theme, "Building the Beloved Community." I was profoundly moved, and from that day I set to work organizing an annual "Building the Beloved Community" Symposium on the Mercer campus.
The planning committee of local clergy and lay leaders organizes the event, and Mercer sponsors it annually, with the kind help of our ministry partners at Centenary United Methodist Church.
I believe that the Holy Spirit has birthed this vision, not just in me, but in a number of leaders in this community. Dr. King said the most segregated hour of the week in our communities was 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. Unfortunately, that has not changed very much over the years. We believe the church should demonstrate unity as we collaborate across denominational and racial boundaries, and we promote such activities as:
- sister church relationships
- pulpit exchanges
- community-wide unity services
- partnerships in community development and service
- formation of small action groups on specific appropriate issues
Symposium speakers have included:
| 2020 | Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, Associate Professor, Program Director of Reconciliation Studies, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Washington |
| 2019 | Dr. Claudia May, Associate Professor of Reconciliation Studies, Program Director of Reconciliation Studies, Bethel University in St. Paul Minnesota |
| 2018 |
The Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, Milton B. Engebretson Associate Professor of Church Growth |
|
2017 |
The Rev. Jim Wallis, Editor of Sojourners Magazine, Noted Author and Activist |
|
2016 |
The Rev. C.T. Vivian, Legendary Civil Rights Organizer |
| 2015 | Dr. Michael O. Emerson, Cline Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the Institute for Urban Research, Rice University |
| 2014 | Mr. Sam Oni (CLA 1967), Mercer's First Black Student
The Hon. William C. Randall, Civil Court Judge and Chief Magistrate |
| 2013 | Rev. Gail E. Bowman, J. D., Director, The Willis J. Weatherford, Jr. Campus Christian Center, and College Chaplain, Berea College (KY) Mr. Michael J. Dunaway, Independent Filmmaker and Film Editor for PasteMagazine.com |
| 2012 |
Professor Bill J. Leonard, James & Marilyn Dunn Chair of Baptist Studies, Former Dean, Professor Chester J. Fontenot, Jr., Baptist Professor of English, Director, Africana Studies, |
| 2011 | Rev. Leroy Barber, President, Mission Year
Mr. Calvin Cole, Speakers Bureau, Macon Coalition to End Homelessness |
| 2010 |
Rev. Dr. Samuel Wells, Dean of Chapel, Duke University Professor Anthony Harris, Tift College of Education at Mercer University |
| 2009 |
Rev. Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall, Fellowship Baptist Church, East Point, GA Dr. Robert L. Lupton, FCS Urban Ministries |
| 2008 |
Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Former Pastor, Riverside Church, NYC Rev. Mo Leverett, Rebirth International Urban Ministries |
| 2007 | Professor Richard L. Gray, Asbury Theological Seminary |
| 2006 |
Rev. Dr. John M. Perkins, J.M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development Rev. Gail E. Bowman, J.D., Dillard University |
| 2005 |
Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, Legendary Civil Rights Leader Professor Andrew M. Manis, Macon State College Professor Catherine Meeks, Wesleyan College |
Organizing Committee
- Mrs. Alice M. Bailey (Principal Consultant, January Group, Inc.)
- Mrs. Trish Dunaway (Retired Bibb County Reach Teacher)
- Dr. Matt Harper (Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
- Rev. Clifford Little (Pastor, Greens Tabernacle Baptist)
- Dr. Craig McMahan (University Minister at Mercer)
- Ms. Betty Slater (Willis-Slater Productions)
- Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes (Assistant Professor, McAfee School of Theology)
- Dr. Sundra Woodford (Macon Area Habitat for Humanity)
- Ms. Ashanti Griggs (Senior, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
- Ms. Sarah Harris (Senior, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
