Newly Appointed Holman Pastors Continue Lawson's Legacy

LOS ANGELES - Aug. 23, 2024 - PRLog -- On July 28, Holman United Methodist Church welcomed Rev. Victor Cyrus-Franklin, Jr. as its Senior Pastor and Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oliver as Associate.

Cyrus-Franklin, a protege of the late Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. made a profound local impact and national news in when he secured funding to convert disused buildings on the campus of Inglewood First United Methodist Church into affordable housing. He continues as project manager at Inglewood First, where he was lead pastor until his move to Holman.

At Holman, Rev. Cyrus-Franklin continues to advance social and economic justice in partnership with faith-based and community groups such as Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP), LA Voice, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

On Wednesday, August 28, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, Cyrus-Franklin will serve as a Convener of SCLC's virtual 61^st Commemoration of the March on Washington.

September 2, Labor Day, is dedicated to "A Labor of Love: An Interfaith Celebration of Rev. James M. Lawson Jr." The memorial, organized by Cyrus-Franklin with leaders from CLUE and LA Voice, begins at 5:00 pm in the sanctuary of Holman UMC, 3320 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018.

Holman and ICUJP will honor Lawson's memory on Sunday, September 8, presenting the Rev. George F. Regas Courageous Peacemaker Award to Hedab Tarifi and Tahil Sharma, two activists working to cultivate mutual understanding among members of diverse faith groups and ethnic backgrounds. The ceremony begins at 3:00 pm in the Holman sanctuary. Registration is required and tickets are offered on a sliding-scale donation basis.

Rev. Victor Cyrus-Franklin and his Associate, Dr. Jennifer Oliver, comprise a team of dynamic, biblically astute, visionary leaders with deep roots in community activism.

Associate Pastor Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oliver, a food justice activist, purposes to "help individuals restore connection to God, themselves, the earth, and each other in community so that all might be transformed into embodied vessels of love, to be agents of transformation in the world." She is an itinerant elder in the AME church and founder of MannaMovement.org, which has assisted local schools and faith-based organizations, such as Holman neighbor St. Mark United Methodist Church, to break ground and cultivate community gardens throughout South Los Angeles. Dr. Oliver preaches at Holman 8:00 am on the second and fourth Sundays of every month.

To access the Holman weekly bulletin and learn more about upcoming events, visit the "Events" page at https://www.holmanumc.com/.