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Monday, Monday



This Monday is the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. It’s also the federal holiday marking Dr. King’s birthday. Many folks will have a day off from work, though not all. I think it’s important to remember that certain sections of the work force almost never get these days off, for example: retail, hospitality, health care. For those who can, the MLK birthday holiday is observed as “a day on, not a day off” by participating in activities to serve others.

A lot of people I know are making plans for Monday. I’ve been asking around. 

Glen Mar Church is again holding its day of service event.


To learn more, and to register, visit this page.

8:30 - 4:30, Glen Mar United Methodist Church, 4701 New Cut Road Ellicott City, MD 21043

8:30 AM to 12:30 PM: Morning Session

12:30 PM to 4:30 PM: Afternoon Session

8:30 AM to 4:30 PM: All-day Session

Off-site Projects (various times)

Howard Ecoworks is holding a Watershed Makeover workday and they are looking for volunteers.

UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled due to the impending storm predictions for Monday. Please check out this announcement to learn more. 



Please visit their Facebook page to learn more about Howard EcoWorks. To learn more about the event itself and to register, click here.

For those looking for fellowship and respite from the political events of the 20th, 

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Hickory Ridge will be open to the community. 

Inspired by the "can do spirit" of our county, join us for coffee, chat, and community support on Inauguration Day.

Monday, January 20, 10 am - 1 pm

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church

10689 Owen Brown Road, Columbia, MD 21044

If you like to bake, bring a treat! Otherwise, just come. The sanctuary will also be open for those who would like to pray.

Update: Thanks to longtime reader Donna for bringing the following to my attention:


MLK Day: Free Coffee, Compassion, and Community at Queen Takes Book

MLK Day is Monday and we will be open for anyone who wants to venture out in the cold. We will have free coffee, compassion, and community for those of us who need it.

We have also put together a list of suggested reading for MLK Day. Check it out on bookshop.org. 

Queen Takes Book, 6955 Oakland Mills Road, Suite E, Columbia MD 21045


The Baltimore Banner is running an article about how many Black residents in the Baltimore area may be spending Monday.  Included in the piece is Columbia’s own Herb Smith, who has plans to be out helping others.

“I’m not going to sit home and I’m definitely not going to the presidential inauguration. I’m doing what was meant to do — service,” said Smith, a Columbia resident who was an organizer for the Obama campaign. “I’m going to help people who are going to be affected by this next administration’s policies.”

I’ve been asking around to see how people I know will be spending the day on Monday. I didn’t get many answers. (This may be because people just don’t feel comfortable talking about it.) One friend will be volunteering at BARCs animals shelter. Another has plans to make a big pot of soup. In general I see choices for the day falling into several categories: to serve, to engage in self-care, and to grieve. That last response is best summed up by a post I read on Bluesky:

Where are we all meeting up to cry Monday?

How about you? Are you making plans?



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