"From the Pastor's Desk"
Author: Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
Date: July 18, 1956
Location: Montgomery, Ala.
Genre: Ephemera
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Career in Ministry
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Family
Details
In his first column for the Dexter Echo, the new biweekly church newsletter edited by George W Jones, King asks each Dexter member to “remember his church responsibilities” for the summer months. He also refers to the baby contest won by his daughter, Yolanda Denise King, in whose name the most funds were raised.1
Since this is my first column in the Dexter ECHO, I might just make a statement concerning the paper itself. Every member will agree that the ECHO will serve to meet a real need in the life of the church. It will be possible now for each member to have the opportunity to keep abreast with all of the activities of the church. Naturally, there are vital things happening in the experiences of members as well as in the church program generally which time will not permit to be mentioned at the regular Sunday service. Such vital information is now released through our official organ. Each of us owes a real debt of gratitude to the very competent editor of the ECHO and the fine staff.
Now, to change the subject a bit. As you know, we are presently in the summer phase of our work and our church life. All too often this is a period in which church activities and church interest fall hopelessly off. This should not be the case. The church must operate in the summer as well as in the winter; so I am urging each member to remember his church responsibilities for the remaining weeks of the summer period. If you find it necessary to be away for a few weeks, remember that the church needs your pledge to continue to meet its financial obligations.
Many commendable thins have already happened in the church this summer. We have just closed a baby contest which proved to be a tremendous success. Once again Dexter proved what power there is in a group of people dedicated to the program of the church. For everything which you did, we are exceedingly grateful.
In a few weeks, each member will be asked to make a pledge toward the fund for the general renovation of the church (downstairs auditorium) and the parsonage. I am sure that we can expect the cooperation of the entire membership in this venture. Each member will be urged to pledge at least ten dollars toward this effort and can extend payments over a three-month period. Let us prove once again the power of a dedicated congregation. I am sure that we can do it, just as we have done it so often before!
1. See photograph following p. 33 in this volume.
Source: Dexter Echo, 18 July 1956, pp. 1, 2; copy in MLKP, MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.