Sunday Worship Services:  The House of the Lord Church, 700 7 Street, SW, Washington, DC; Basement Community Room.  11:00am

Tuesday, February 19:  Preacher at the Annual MLK Chapel Service.  Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.  11:00am.  For more information, call 202.885.8600.

Tuesday, February 19:  Guest Lecturer.  Annual MLK Remembrance.  Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.  5:15pm.  For more information, call 202.885.8600. 

Sunday, February 24:   Preacher.  Sunday Worship  Experience.  Celebrating the 82nd Birthday of Bishop Herbert Daughtry.  The House of the Lord Church, 415 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.  12Noon.   For =more information, call 718.596.1991.

Friday, March 1:  Speaker:  Leading Women Defined.  Presented by BET. 

March 21-24:  60th Annual Memorial Pilgrimage of The House of the Lord Churches.  Savannah & Augusta, GA.  For more information, visit:  www.HOLC.org or call 718.596.1991. 

Saturday, April 6:  Panelist:  "Left, Right, Center:  Politics & Policy."  40th Anniversary of Women at Dartmouth.  Hanover, NH. 

More to come ...

To arrange a speaking, teaching, or preaching engagement, send a request to Requests@OnTheseThings.com or fax a request to 202/488.6202.

Skin Saavy ... 1730 Connecticut Avenue, NW; Washington, DC ... 202.518.1111 ... A brand new spot owned and operated by some serious professional sistas.  THE BEST nail care (ask for Vicky) and massages (ask for Karmen).  And trust me, it will not break your budget.

My church's newly re-launched website:  www.HOLC.org -- this is our national church's site;  you can see what we're all about and find a church near you.  Of course, my own congregation's site is up and running at www.HOLDC.org.  There you can find out what we're up to in DC, and check the preaching/teaching schedule.

Cooking ... I love a good stew!  I make big pots and freeze them in individual containers for a quick and healthy meal.  My current fave is a light and healthy tomato soup.  Enjoy hot or cold;  great alone or paired with a nice, grilled cheese sandwich.  Here's a simple recipe.

The MLK Memorial ... West Potomac Park, near the Tidal Basin.  if you're in DC, you have to see this.  I know it's taken some hits in the press, but see it for yourself and make up your own mind.  I found it moving, restful, and inspiring.

Christmas 2012, we decided that, in addition to our Wish List duties, we would do something for each other ... in celebration of our decades-long friendship, we sat for a photo session with the incomparable Sharon Farmer.  It was a fabulous day of ringing laughter and great music.  And I gotta tell you, it is HARD WORK!  Anyway, we love the pictures and hope you do too!

As we know, Mother Nature had plans of her own ... first, an earthquake, then Hurricane Irene rolled through the Nation's Capital, forcing the postponement of the formal Dedication to October.  But the Prayer Service went on as scheduled in August, and it was a wonderful and inspiring event ...  Particularly moving and personal tributes were offered by Elder Bernice King, Reverend Joseph Lowery, and Ambassador Andrew Young. Here's THE PROGRAM.  

(We'd planned to have it at Washington National Cathedral, but earthquake damage to the Cathedral forced us to move to the National Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  What a stunningly beautiful church!  If you've never been there, you MUST make a point of visiting.) 

It was the last event of the week before folks fled, I mean got out of town and out of the way of Irene.  Though it was not what we'd planned, it was somehow fitting that the week of festivities came to a close with a Prayer Service. 

The formal dedication services were held on October 16, 2011. 

Enjoy these photos of the prayer service.

Read the full article

A time of Public Visitation at the headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, as Dr. Height lay in repose.  Midway between the Capitol and the White House, it is the only building on Pennsylvania Avenue owned by an African American organization. 

A rousing and inspiring Celebration of Life at DC's Shiloh Baptist Church.  It was the retelling of Dr. Height's life and legacy through music, pictures, and video.  Among the highlights were remarks by former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Elder Bernice King, and Congressman John Lewis, to name just a few.  And Stevie Wonder was on hand to do his thing, like only he can.  To watch, go to http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/293224-1

The homegoing service held at Washington National Cathedral.  President Obama delivered the eulogy.  And BeBe Winans SANG the house down.  And let's not forget Dr. Maya Angelou, harpist Jeffmajors, Dr. Camille Cosby, and mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves.  It was a moving, elegant service, befitting the queen that was Dorothy Height.  Watch at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/293240-1 or http://www.nationalcathedral.org/webcasts/height.shtml.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority held their Omega Omega Service at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium.  (Dr. Height was the 10th National President of the Deltas.)  And lastly, Dr. Height was interred at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, MD. 

Putting it all together was a ton of work;  one week of non-stop activity and planning.  Fortunately, I had a fabulous team, and while it was absolutely exhausting, all of us felt that it was our reasonable service.  It was the least we could do to show our appreciation and thanks for the woman who broke down doors and paved the way for us to live the lives we live.  We know that we stand on her shoulders. 

I am proud to have known Dr. Dorothy and I will miss her every day.

View photo galleries of the week's events:

Gallery of the Shiloh Service

Gallery of the Cathedral Service

Dr. Height's Civil Rights Legacy

More Photos

 Day One -- Getting Here

Wednesday 10 February -- Background ... The Township ... The Interfaith Prayer Service

Thursday 11 February ... Victor Verster Prison

Thursday 11 February ... Madiba's House

Friday 12 February ... Robben Island

Friday 12 February ... Marco's African Place

Saturday 13 February ... Table Mountain

Sunday 14 February ... It's A Wrap ... JoBurg / Mandela House 

I'm very excited about this wonderful opportunity to interact and exchange ideas with the students, the faculty, and my fellow Fellows.  And Fall is a wonderful time to be in New England!

Continue to pray for me!

Read the press release here.

To learn more about the Institute of Politics, go to http://www.iop.harvard.edu/

Sharon has wanderlust, and, as a general rule, she likes to be out of the country on her birthday, June 10. Back in March, she mentioned to me that she was thinking of going to visit the Machu Picchu ruins for her birthday. Since my schedule is more flexible now than it's been in many years, I volunteered to go with her. And of course, Lorenzo was to join us. Dawn, my other sister, wanted to go, but her work schedule wouldn't allow it. My sisters and I love traveling and we generally try to go somewhere together at least once a year.

Sharon's a real travel pro, so she picked the tour company, Peru for Less. We went with their suggested itinerary: Lima to Puerto Maldonado (the Amazon) to Cuzco to Machu Picchu to Lima. I was particularly interested in seeing Machu Picchu, which is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Visiting all seven is one of the things on my "bucket list."

I'm planning to post daily journal entries about our trip ... but we'll only be in Lima one night before heading to the Amazon, where there'll be little or no electricity, so postings may be delayed. Not sure what kind of internet connections we'll find, so photo uploads may also be delayed. As I'm able to add pictures, I'll note the link ...

Heading Out ... Tuesday, June 2

The Amazon ... Day 1  --- UPDATED WITH PICTURES

The Amazon ... Day 2  --- UPDATED WITH PICTURES

The Amazon ... Day 3  --- UPDATED WITH PICTURES

Arriving in Cuzco ... UPDATED WITH PICTURES 

Cuzco/Pisac ... UPDATED WITH PICTURES

Cuzco City Tour ... Day 3

The Sacred Valley

Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes

Lima

Lima -- It's A Wrap

Peru -- Planning Your Own Trip

On Election Night, I was in Chicago in Grant Park when Barack Obama was declared the next President of the United States. As I stood with so many others waiting for Obama to make his remarks, Lorenzo sent me a text: "Now I feel like I can do anything." That's when the magnitude of the moment hit me.

Since my nephews are the only three children in our family, we've all chosen to be active participants in their raising, doing everything we possibly can to ensure that they have every advantage that we can possibly give them: good educations, travel, a variety of social and cultural experiences, and, of course, church. We're not rich people by any stretch of the imagination, but we sacrifice our time, our talent, and our resources to give them a leg up in this increasingly competitive world.

But despite every advantage that Lorenzo has had, there was still a ceiling beyond which he felt he could not reach. The fact of Obama's election removed, even if only in Lorenzo's imagination, the strictures and constraints that limited his upward progress. I could only imagine the difference it would make in his life. What must it feel like to believe that there are no limits on your life? That you really can do anything and be anything you want? What a freedom!

And for this reason, more than any other, I celebrate the Inauguration of Barack Obama. For the powerful symbolism it presents . . . For the freedom Lorenzo feels . . . For the increased probability that Daniel and Myles will never feel blocked from their dreams . . . For all this, I am deeply grateful.

Wednesday, January 21

Tuesday, January 20 -- UPDATED!

Monday, January 19

Sunday, January 18 

Saturday, January 17

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- ESSENCE magazine reflects back on the epic year that was 2008 and recognizes 25 distinguished African-Americans who have made a difference. From the rise of political figures to the celebrity activists changing the world and entertainers breaking artistic ground ESSENCE honors the extraordinary trailblazers that made 2008 an unforgettable year.

See the photo gallery

Read the press release

Watch The Video

Read the full article