SHREVEPORT, LA -- The Rev. Mack McCarter, coordinator of Shreveport Community Renewal, will be the speaker Thursday, Feb. 18 when Centenary College celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Circle.
The program, free and open to the public, will begin at 11:10 a.m. in Brown Memorial Chapel on the Centenary campus.
On Feb. 18, 1949, Centenary founded its Beta Pi chapter, or circle, of ODK, the national leadership honor organization. Several founding members and ODK alumni are expected to attend.
President Kenneth L. Schwab will induct this year's new members in a short "tapping" ceremony. ODK president Beth Bonner will introduce the Rev. Mr. McCarter, whose organization is concerned with rebuilding communities through active Christian love.
A native of Shreveport, the Rev. Mr. McCarter holds a B.A. degree in religion from Texas Christian University and a Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School. He served as senior pastor of several Christian Church congregations from 1972-90, where he first conceived and tested the concepts of rebuilding the foundations of a caring and loving community.
In 1992, he returned to Shreveport to begin his work in rebuilding the community. He founded Shreveport Community Renewal in 1992 with the help of local community leaders. In 1993, he piloted an interracial initiative called "Wellspring Group" for the purpose of combating racism through caring.
Among honors he has received are the Arthritis Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year Award in 1995, the All Souls Unitarian Church's Emerson Award in 1997 and the Shreveport Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award in 1998. His community service includes membership in the Pew Civic Entrepreneurial Committee.
- 30 -