Churches support unity in Midway with service, meal

Midway Baptist Church will host a unity meal and service on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m., but other churches in the community were instrumental in organizing this gathering to strengthen friendships, while praying, mourning and singing for peace. The unity meal and service is being supported by historic African-American churches, including Second Christian Church, Pilgrim Baptist Church and Saint Matthew AME Church, in the aftermath of recent tragic events across the country. "The fact that these churches are taking the initiative (to organize this unity meal and service) is really, really helpful - especially since they are in many ways the driving force of unity in our community," said Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift. On many levels, Vandegrift said, American society has remained segregated so "any time we can come together and just talk, I think it starts to break up a lot of that division that's lasted for many years." He said small towns like Midway should never get complacent and assume those issues don't exist here. University of Kentucky professor Dr. Everett McCorvey has agreed to lead the service in song. And Kevin Cosby, the president of Simmons College of Kentucky who spoke at Muhammad Ali's funeral, is scheduled to speak during the upcoming unity meal and service at Midway Baptist Church, 121 South Winter Street.