Freedom Ride 2015: Life Every Voice

by Gavin Kenner, All Saints' Cayce

Gavin Kenner with Presiding Bishop Elect Michael Curry

My name is Gavin Kenner. I am an active member at All Saints’, Cayce. From July 12^th through the 18^th, I was on a mission trip called Freedom Ride 2015: Lift Every Voice. It was about how many people during the Civil Rights Movement protested using non-violence, in their effort to have all people treated equally.

During my mission trip we stayed at Haw River State Park in North Carolina.  About 70 people, from all over the United States, came to this event. We also had participants from South Africa, Cape Town, and Botswana. 

We visited many historic places, like the International Civil Rights Museum where the original Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins occurred. One of the participants in the sit-in was present at the Museum; his name was Joseph McNeil. We visited a plantation that was still standing, called the “Harts Plantation.”  It’s located in Stagville, NC. 

An actor/singer did a play of “Blood Done Sign My Name” on Thursday, and a band called “Beast” did a jazz, free-flowing kind of jam on Thursday, also. Friday was a wrap up of everything.  

We all also got to meet and greet the Presiding Bishop-elect, Michael Curry. On Wednesday we celebrated worship with Curry, and it was a truly moving experience.  When he was preaching his sermon, he focused on one statement that was stated multiple times: “We are in the Jesus Movement and we are part of it!” That caught my attention. He is a wonderful preacher.

I must say Freedom Ride 2015: Lift Every Voice was an experience I will never forget. Freedom Ride is a three-year program and I’ve completed the first year. Next year it will be hosted in South Africa, in Cape Town. I hope I get selected to go! I truly recommend this experience to anyone.