Judge Jimmie Edwards will be the keynote speaker at the Ecumenical Leadership Council Banquet being held on Tuesday May 29 at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Edwards is presiding Family Court judge and founder of Innovative Concept Academy, which targets dropouts from St. Louis Public Schools and other at-risk city youth.
The banquet will feature a presentation of distinguished leadership awards to Robert J. Carlson, the Archbishop of St. Louis; Donald M. Suggs, publisher of The St. Louis American newspaper; Dr. Lewis C. Chartock, president of MERSGoodwill; Terry Nelson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity; and Rev. Wallace S. Hartsfield, pastor emeritus of Metropolitan M. B. Church in Kansas City.
Confirmed guests include U. S. Senator Claire McCaskill, Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay, state Rep. Sara Lampe and Redditt Hudson, candidate for Missouri Senate. Part of the proceeds will benefit St. Louis Transitional Hope House.
The Ecumenical Leadership Council is composed of leaders in predominantly African-American church denominations. Collectively they represent over 120 churches throughout St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City. Their goals include providing a path for economic and political empowerment for the African-American population, as well as building bridges with other faiths including Catholics, Jews and Muslims.
Tickets are available at 222 South Central Ave, Suite 204, Clayton Mo 63105, or by calling DDC Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. at 314-721-2288.
Night life for Christian families
The Christian night life in St. Louis has been struggling to stay alive for years, especially when it comes to theatre. KMW Productions, LLC is a Christian-based Drama Company that was founded in 2011 by Kyria Williams.
After getting a vision from God through a message from her pastor, Kyria wrote her first play, Marriage Works, if You Work It. KMW Productions, LLC will be presenting the play at the Touhill on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus in February of 2013.
In addition to providing entertainment and messages from God through stage play, KMW will also host various community events throughout the city. KMW Productions is looking to rebirth a thrilling night life for Christian families, couples and their friends.
When asked what was her purpose for writing and producing play writes, Kyria stated, “There’s an extreme attack on marriages, especially amongst believers. God wants his people to understand the true meaning of marriage and how more marriages would be successful if we would just follow biblical principles. I believe God wants to minister to his people through my productions.”
Kyria also stated that according to an article in USA Today, “A vast demographic study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago found that Christians have a divorce rate of about 42 percent.”
In order to obtain the Touhill, KMW Productions LLC is hosting a fundraising gala on May 25 at the Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center, 2711 Locust St. For more information, visit www.kmwproductions.org, call Kim Walker at 314-549-8994 Ext. 103 or email Pr_marketing@kmwproductions.org.
