Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in Seacoast: 'Set the House on Fire' concert and more

Autumn DeNuzzio, Portsmouth Herald
·4 min read
Martin Luther King speaks at Notre Dame in 1963, during his Oct. 18,1963, visit to South Bend. King spoke that evening to more than 3,000 people in Stepan Center at the University of Notre Dame.
Martin Luther King speaks at Notre Dame in 1963, during his Oct. 18,1963, visit to South Bend. King spoke that evening to more than 3,000 people in Stepan Center at the University of Notre Dame.

Martin Luther King day will be observed on Monday, Jan. 16. The following is a list of events in the Seacoast area honoring King and his vision:

'Set the House on Fire' concert

PORTSMOUTH — The "Set the House on Fire: A Gospel Concert" honoring King's life and legacy will be held Monday, Jan. 16 at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre at 125 Bow St. in Portsmouth. Pre-show music begins at 5 p.m. and the concert starts at 5:30 p.m. It will include performances by Nate Scot and the Gospel Voices, Ms Vee, Rev Jeff and the Right Now Choir, Justine Weem and Denise Gordon. The masters of ceremonies will be the Rev. Robert Thompson and Sandi Clark Kaddy. Tickets are $15 for adults ($12 for seniors, students and veterans) and available via the events listing found at seacoastrep.org.

MLK service with special guests

PORTSMOUTH — On Sunday, Jan. 15, during its 10 a.m. worship service, the New Hope Baptist Church, at 263 Peverly Hill Road in Portsmouth, will remember the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The church invites the public for this special two-hour service, followed by a luncheon in the fellowship hall.

The program will include the preached and spoken word drawing upon Scripture and King's speeches, gospel music and poetry.

Special guests include TJ Wheeler, an educator and American roots musician who brings blues, jazz and ragtime to life in his inspirational and interactive performances and education program. Also taking part is Dr. Geoffrey Dana Hicks, minister of music at the First Baptist Church of Hingham, Massachusetts, a pianist, composer, recording artist, conductor and educator. Former state Rep. Harvey Keye, current director for the New Hampshire Prostate Cancer Coalition, and one of the governing officials who helped make Dr. King’s holiday a reality in New Hampshire, and Sharon Jones, a native of Portsmouth and a performer and poet will be featured, too.

Newfields MLK Day of Service

NEWFIELDS — The fifth annual Day of Service is being held Monday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Newfields Elementary School (enter gym using the glass doors and check in). The public is invited to bring positive energy, willingness to work together and a fun spirit. The NES Leadership team will also be hosting a hot chocolate stand to support Connor’s Climb.

Meet the current Newfields Elementary School Board and take a tour of the school. Informal walking tours at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for those that can’t make the daytime.

Organizers will be collecting nonperishable food items for the Newmarket Food Pantry, which helps support Newfields residents. Drop off food items in the gym from 9 a.m. to noon or 6 to 7 p.m.

The MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems and move us closer to King’s vision of a “beloved community."

MLK holiday celebration in Kennebunk

KENNEBUNK, Maine — First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church will host its 20th annual event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 16. The event will take place at 10 a.m. at 114 Main St., Kennebunk.

The event features keynote speaker Krystal Williams, whose topic is “The Fierce Urgency of Now: Answering the Call of Justice During Uncertain Times.”

Pianist Christopher Staknys will perform several pieces of music composed by Black musicians, and the Rev. Lara Campbell will welcome everyone to the event, which will also be available on Zoom. The presentations will be held in the second-floor sanctuary, and a reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

“I am so excited about holding this event in person again, after two years online, especially since it’s our 20th anniversary,” said Vicki Adams, who organized the first MLK event at the historic church in 2003.

Krystal Williams is the founder of and managing attorney for Providentia Group, a legal and business advisory firm in Portland, which has a mission is to create economic equity through entrepreneurship. In 2020 she founded Alpha Legal Foundation, a nonprofit focused on diversifying the legal profession.

Chris Staknys is the music director at First Parish Church. A graduate of the Juilliard School with a degree in solo piano performance, he has appeared as a performer and composer in cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Paris, and Salzburg at venues including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall. He has won numerous competitions including first prize in the Steinway Society of Massachusetts Piano Competition.

Tickets are on sale through the church website at www.uukennebunk.org/mlk20, and at the door for $15 for adults and $5 for students, both in person, or on Zoom. Proceeds will benefit the Alpha Legal Foundation, which was founded by Williams. The event is sponsored by the Social Justice Network of First Parish.

Please email information on additional events to news@seacoastonline.com or news@fosters.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Martin Luther King Day events in Seacoast NH, ME