Southern Christian Leadership Conference Peninsula Chapter
P.O. Box 120002
Newport News, Virginia 23612

Dear Spiritual Leaders,

January 1, 2003 marks the 140th Year Anniversary Celebration of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. You are invited to participate in a local and join in a national celebration event, to commemorate this historic occasion. We at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference invite you to help us start our year long celebration in prayer. The spirit and intent of celebrating the 140th Year Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation is to uplift our community. Just as the Emancipation Proclamation--this historical document represents a moral change in America; these celebration events will launch another turning point.

This is our opportunity to thank God collectively for his goodness, grace and mercy as well as to move ahead confident over our past accomplishments and excited about our future. We have endured slavery, followed by another 140 years of intense struggle and tremendous progress in America. At the dawn of a new day, and a new century, we can step out on faith, increase our volume of production, and round out our American experience ending our current cycle. Start fresh, and begin a new, giving our children a positive historical perspective they can all benefit and draw courage and leadership inspiration from, something much needed today in our communities.

Moving away from a horrible way of life such as slavery was indeed a miracle. Evolving from this standpoint in American history, the period of time after slavery, to where we are today is equally phenomenal. Some Americans just started off with the shirts on their backs, nothing more. One hundred and forty years after Lincoln's Proclamation, African Americans have managed to integrate themselves into the American landscape in every capacity imaginable. This progress in America has been without a doubt outstanding under the guidance and leadership of God.

We want to thank him. One voice, on one accord, sending him the praise and worship he is so worthy of receiving. Starting off our new cycle of life in America on a positive note, bringing our communities closer together under a celebratory environment, more or less, to get everyone on the same page at the same time, in a receptive positive frame of mind, however, this will be our opportunity to spiritually strengthen our communities. Opening the door for further positive dialogue and more cohesive works designed towards healing our spirits as a nation and stopping the violence that has so plagued our past existence, and restoring the peace within our communities.

Understanding, recognizing and valuing the differences that make each person unique, this is the beginning to helping each other transition to reaching our full potential.

We at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Peninsula Chapter (SCLC) are organizing this national celebration event(s) and we are asking for your support, for your participation to insure the successful outcome of this Prayer Day and year long celebration. This is a time period for individual as well as collective growth; we want to encourage everyone to achieve at the next level. We understand that fairness, coupled with the opportunity to develop our individual agendas, further our collective success.

We sincerely appreciate your time and consideration, and may God bless you abundantly, in all your endeavors. If you wish to become a member of the SCLC, contact the numbers below.

Best prayers from,

Andrew Shannon
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Vice President At Large, Virginia State Unit
Tel: 757 877-0792 Fax: 757 313-9615

Cassandra West
Historian
Tel: 757 437-0971 Fax: 757 313-9615
Email: sclc@cox.net

Visit the Southern Christian Leadership Conference website to learn more about this historic organization founded by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.