2018 Kwanzaa Celebration - first year
Ray Of Hope Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc.
The LGBTQISA2ss+ Pride Activities, and Social Events Center of Elmira, NY.
The only Church in Central New York founded and fostered by the GLBTQSIA2ss+ community for 39 years. October 31, 2022 - 39th Anniversary now in our 40th year in Ministry.
2019 Kwanzaa Celebration - second year
Site updated
1/1/23
8:15 p.m.
For easy instructions on how to use Skype to participate in our activities Right Click Here. You may also watch all these events on our Facebook page. To link to our Facebook page Right Click Here.
2019 Kwanzaa night 1 December 26 To read the service in PDF click here. To see the Facebook Live Video of the first night Click Here.
December 27, 2019 Night 2. There was no service in 2019 due to a funeral.
December 28 Night 3 in PDF click here. See the service for night 2 and 3 that was presented on 12/28/19 Click Here.
2018 December 29 Night 4 in PDF click here. Here is the video: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.benedict.77/videos/10218041332846050/
2018 December 30 Night 5 in PDF click here. Here is the video: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.benedict.77/videos/10218050167226904/
2018 December 31 Night 6 in PDF click here. Here is the video: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.benedict.77/videos/10218059104490330/
Dr. Elwood Lee Robinson, Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University from Durham, NC posted the following to his Facebook page on Sunday Morning, December 30, 2018. He was writing about his experience with us in the Ray Of Hope Church Kwanzaa experience of 2018. He was at Veronica's house and live with us on Skype. This is his post:
One special event that I participated in this week was the third night of Kwanzaa ceremony at my sister-in-law's house. Kwanzaa offers another level of spiritual experssion. When the Kwanzaa table is set, the candleholder, known as the kinara, holds seven candles. Three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle at the center comprise the kinara. These symbols represent the African liberation flag. Each candle represents one of the seven principles and is lit on the day that prinicple is celebrated. This night we celebrated Ujima and discussed how this prinicple was important for enhancing and strengthening our communities.
The seven principles of Kwanzaa are Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purplse), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).
It is from this African-American cultural ethos, combined with the transforming words of Paul's Letter to the Romans, that we find the authentic epression of love and peace in this holiday season. It is during this month that we celebrate Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Hanukkah that we are reminded of what is important to live a blessed life. Faith, hope, and love are the three gifts that will be ours throughout all eternity. And agape love is the ultimate gift. God in His goodness gives us the privilege of possessing these gifts today, and we look forward to having them remain with us forever.
Peace and Blessings.
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Amen and Amen! Thank you so much, Elwood for sharing your post with us!
2018 January 1 Night 7 in PDF click here. Here is the video: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.benedict.77/videos/10218070844543824/
Ray Of Hope Church is celebrating our fifth year of celebrating Kwanzaa December 26, 2022 and it will on January 1, 2023, with the exception of December 31. We are celebrating the seven principles in six services. All six worship services will be available for you to read and the video recordings here on our web site.
Kwanzaa
2018 December 27, Night 2 in PDF click here.
2018 December 28 Night 3 in PDF click here. Here is the video: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.benedict.77/videos/10218033608012934/
2019 December 29 Night 4 in PDF click here. See the service for night 4. Click Here.
2019 December 30 Night 5 in PDF click here. To see the service Click Here.
2019 January 1 Night 6 & 7 in PDF click here. Here is the video. Click Here.
2020 Kwanzaa Celebration - third year
2020 December 29 Tuesday Kwanzaa day 4 Ujamaa (Cooperative economics).. Download the order of worship: Right Click Here. Watch the video of the service: Right Click Here.
2020 Dec. 30 Wednesday Kwanzaa day 5 Nia (Purpose) and 6 Kuumba (Creativity)8:45 p.m. Download the Order of Service: Right Click Here. Watch the recorded service Right Click Here. Visit our Facebook Page: Right Click Here.
2020 Dec. 31 No Kwanzaa
2020 Dec. 27 Sunday Kwanzaa principle 1 Umoja (Unity) and 2 Kujichagulia (Self determination) 8:45 p.m. Download the service: Right Click Here. Watch the video of the worship event here: Right Click Here.
2020 Dec. 28 Monday Kwanzaa day 3 Ujima (Collective work &responsibility) 8:45 p.m. Download the program: Right Click Here. Watch the ten minutes service from our Facebook page: Right Click Here. Visit. like, and follow or Facebook page: Right Click Here.
Founder of Kwanzaa from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maulana_Karenga
Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga,[1][2][3] previously known as Ron Karenga, (born Ronald McKinley Everett, July 14, 1941) is an American professor of Africana studies, activist and author, best known as the creator of the pan-African and the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. . . . Modelling the holiday after the African "first fruit" traditions, Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966. The rituals of the holiday promote African traditions including the "seven principles of African Heritage".
2020 January 1 Friday Kwanzaa day 7 Imani (Faith). Download the Order of Service: Right Click Here. See the recording of the service: Right Click Here. Visit our Facebook page. Right Click Here.
There are many symbols of Kwanzaa.
The Kwanzaa candelabra is called a kinara.
The straw mat that the kinara is placed on is a mkeka.
Ears of corn are also placed on the mat, one to represent each child in the household. They are called the vibunzi (or muhindi).
A fruit basket is placed on the mkeka, and is called the mazao.
The unity cup is also placed on the mkeka, and is called the kikombe cha umoja.
The seven candles that are placed in the kinara are called the Mishumaa Saba.
Finally, all the gifts are called the zawadi and are traditionally given on Imani - the last day of Kwanzaa."
These are the seven principles of Kwanzaa:
1st Umoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity
2nd Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-GOO-lee-ah) Self Determination
3rd Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility
4th Ujamaa (oo-jah-Mah-ah) Cooperative Economics
5th Nia (NEE-ah) Purpose
6th Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity
7th Imani (ee-MAN-nee) Faith
See TWO excellent videos of Aliyjia and Rashaad cashing in their 2020 year-long Ujamaa - cooperative economics project. Their family all helped by collect the change all year long, working cooperatively! Working together the children raised $101.97 to give to a charity of their choice. This year they gave to Ray Of Hope Church. We are very grateful and thankful. The links to the videos are under the pictures below.
Part ONE of two Right Click Here.
Part TWO of two Right Click Here.
2022 Kwanzaa Celebration - fifth year
2022 Kwanzaa night 1 December 26, 2022. The First Principle: Umoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live Video of the first night Click Here.
2022 Kwanzaa night 2 December 27, 2022. The Second Principle: Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-GOO-lee-ah) Self Determination. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live Video of the second night Click Here.
2022 Kwanzaa night 3, Wednesday, December 28 7:00 p.m. we celebrated the Third Principle: Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live Video of the third night RIGHT CLICK HERE.
2022 Kwanzaa night 4 was celebrated on Thursday, December 29 7:00 p.m. the Fourth Principle: Ujamaa (oo-jah-Mah-ah) Cooperative Economics. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live Video of the fourth night RIGHT CLICK HERE.
2022 Kwanzaa night 5 was celebrated on Friday, December 30. at 7:00 p.m. We celebrated both the 5th and the 6th principles. The Fifth Prinicple is Nia (NEE-ah) Purpose. The Sixth Principle is Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live Video of the fifth night RIGHT CLICK HERE.
Veronica wrote: "The Kwanzaa family puzzle completed for the 6th day of Kwanzaa- Kuumba (creativity) by Tami's great neice. It's prominently displayed on the kitchen table." 12-30-22
2022 Kwanzaa night 5 will be celebrated on Friday, December 30. at 7:00 p.m. We will celebrate both the 5th and the 6th principles. The Fifth Prinicple is Nia (NEE-ah) Purpose. The Sixth Principle is Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. Join us live and interactively on Skype. You do not need a Skype account to participate, enter as "guest" when prompted. Here is the Skype Link: https://join.skype.com/qt6Y1PQvj04l.
You may watch the Kwanza event on Facebook Live, click here:https://www.facebook.com/lgbtqsia2ssByYou.
2022 Kwanzaa night 7 was celebrated on Sunday, January 1, 2023. at 7:00 p.m. We celebrated the 7th principle Imani (ee-MAN-nee) Faith. To read the service in PDF RIGHT CLICK HERE. To see the Facebook Live video RIGHT CLICK HERE.