The annual Howard Thurman Homily is the King & Faith Series' keynote address.

The Howard Thurman Homily is a significant annual service held at The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco, organized by the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation. This service pays tribute to the influential theologian and civil rights leader, Howard Thurman, known for his impact on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Over the years, this event has featured a distinguished roster of speakers, each sharing their insights on the intersection of faith, social justice, and the enduring legacy of Howard Thurman. Past speakers have included prominent civil rights activists, theologians, and community leaders who have drawn inspiration from Thurman's teachings. These speakers have eloquently addressed pressing issues of our time, invoking the spirit of Thurman and King in their calls for justice, equality, and unity.

The 2024 Howard Thurman Homily speaker is Dr. Raymond Carr, Ph.D. Dr. Carr is the director of the Codex Charles H. Long Papers at the Moses Mesoamerican Archive and Research Project at Harvard University and the incoming president of the Society for the Study of Black Religion. His most recent work, a three-volume project entitled, Theology in the Mode of Monk, engages two of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century: Karl Barth, the Swiss Protestant theologian, and James H. Cone, the father of Black Theology in America. Carr employs the aesthetic thinking of the jazz legend Thelonious Monk to reconceptualize, restructure, and advance the theologies of both thinkers.

The Howard Thurman Homily serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the enduring power of faith in the pursuit of social change, carrying forward the legacies of both Howard Thurman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Howard Thurman Homily takes place annually on the Sunday before the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday at the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples (Fellowship Church) in San Francisco and is a partnership between the NorcalMLK Foundation and Fellowship Church.