has been by far the most enduringly prominent pastor (of any denomination) in Seattle throughout my lifetime. He was called to the pulpit of the historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church, one of Seattle's oldest and most respected historically Black congregations, in 1958, when I was 4 years old, and he remained in that position for forty years, retiring in 1998. Since then he has remained at Mt. Zion as Pastor Emeritus, first with , then (2005-2008) as supply pastor after Dr. Braxton left (taking a sizable part of Mt. Zion's congregation with him) to found in Seattle's southern suburb of Renton, and now (since 2008) with .
This Sunday, April 25th, will be Mt. Zion's annual , and Dr. McKinney will preach both the 7:30 AM and the 10:45 AM services. I wish I could go, but it's impossible to get to Mt Zion by bus from where I live in time for the early service, and duties at Fremont plus the need to be ready for the afternoon hymn-sing preclude attending the later service. The last time I was at Mt. Zion for Sunday worship, candidate Bill Clinton was present...