Day Four Civil Rights Tour 2024!

Our last day in Birmingham, Sunday, April 14th. As we’ve done every morning, we began our day with a time of morning centering. Group members had signed up ahead of time to lead this time. Each morning, we have heard inspiring, reflective and challenging thoughts to center us and begin our days. With our group comprised of members from various churches and the Moses Montefiore Temple, our centering moments have not only inspired us, but also expanded our experiences of faith. Later in the morning, we worshipped at 16th St Baptist church. As before, we were warmly welcomed by the congregation and were blessed with beautiful music, a delightful children’s choir, and inspiring preaching. At different times throughout the service, I closed my eyes and imagined what it would have been like to be in that sanctuary during one of the many mass meetings held there to strategize and inspire the foot soldiers who would be leaving the church to march and face the dogs and fire hoses. Their meetings would have included a reminder that non violence is our strategy and that God is our leader. As I sat with my eyes closed, I also remembered the 4 little girls who were killed when the church was bombed by the KKK and the 2 young boys who were killed later that day in Birmingham in the mayhem. Such violence, such tragedy. And such faith to keep marching, keep believing, and all the while, stay true to their commitment of non violence.