The Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship was established in 1973 to promote the memory of the life and work of Dr. King, and to preserve the legacy of the nonviolent human rights movement as it was expressed in his life and teachings.

It is the hope of the committee that all recipients will explore how problems such as racism, sexism, classism, militarism, ageism, and prejudice in our schools, city, nation, and throughout the world, can be confronted effectively.

The Martin Luther King Scholarship awards are given based on the following criteria:

1. How applicant has implemented and plans to implement the goals of Dr. King as described in his/her essay.
2. Evidence of service to school, faith community, and society.
3. Academic record.
4. Personal goals.
5. Financial need.

Finalists will be expected to take part in an interview with committee members. The interview will be a significant determining factor in awarding the scholarship.

In order to be eligible for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship, you must be:

1. a high school senior or high school graduate preparing for the first year of college;
2. resident of, or attending high school in, or a member of a religious institution in Albany or southern Rensselaer counties;
3. accepted by an accredited college or university.

Further details are available in the application.

The Rev. George Brennan: Executive director of the Capital Area Council of Churches, the first Roman Catholic to head the ecumenical organization in its 70-year history, and pastor at Our Lady of Hope Church in Copake Falls.

Background: Born and raised in Hartford, Conn. Attended Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., and studied theology at St. Thomas University in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a deacon in Italy and a Roman Catholic priest, in 1975 in Massachusetts. He was involved in retreat ministry in New England. He received a doctorate in pastoral counseling from Andover Newton Theological School. He worked as staff therapist for inpatient clergy in Whitinsville, Mass. He was director of the La Salette Counseling Center and of the La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, Mass. In 2005, he began working with Catholic Charities ministering to the homeless.

You are succeeding the late Rev. John U. Miller, who led the council for a decade. What is his legacy?

Rev. Miller certainly made an impact on a wide range of people, especially the poor. He was very committed to doing something about violence in the city and the society at large. I too am committed to those causes.

The council honored you in 2009 with its Joyce Steinkraus Giles Pastoral Service Award for your work with the homeless. How will this focus be reflected in your new job?

I have come to meet and know so many homeless people who are no longer homeless. I will continue reach out to them.

The CACC has grown to comprise nearly 90 congregations. What’s your plan for getting to know their needs?

I will pay a personal visit to each church and talk with the leaders and find out current needs. I have already begun and hope to visit all within first six months.

Even though the majority of churches are members, not all choose to belong. I will work to constantly invite churches to become members of CACC.

In addition to ecumenical work among Christians, do your goals for the council include interfaith outreach?

We are trying to become welcoming of all faiths. We are indeed involving ourselves in interfaith activities. Saturday evening, we held our the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial service at Blessed Hope Worship Center in Albany.

Your installation on Sunday coincides with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Tell us about its observance this year.

Locally, there is a gathering scheduled for noon Wednesday at the Pastoral Center on North Main Avenue in Albany sponsored by the Capital Region Ecumenical Society.

What are your emotions as you embark on a new leadership role?

I am excited and feel blessed. For the past five years that I have been in the Capital Region, I have been involved with committees of the Council of Churches. I have appreciated how they emphasize what we have in common. I believe in what the council is all about. We can really do more together than separately.

The evening will include interfaith readings and prayers as well as music by several local groups. Addressing the theme “The Courage to Continue to Strive for Justice”, the guest speaker will be the Rev. Samuel Trumbore, Pastor of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany. The offering received at the event is the primary source of funding for our Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Last spring, Capital Area Council of Churches awarded a total of $5,000 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Applications for the 2011 awards will be available at the service and are due by March 31. If you are unable to attend the service and wish to make a gift to the scholarship fund, you may send your check made out to “CACC-MLK Fund” to 646 State St., Albany, NY 12203.