A newsletter of Zion Hill Baptist Church
THE LIU (pronounced LEE-UU)
2023 Rites of Passage Program
W
ith the rhymical, melodic tapping of drums, steeped in the tradition of African culture that pervaded the atmosphere for the evening, the 2023 Oukumo Rites of Passage Closing Celebration commenced just past sundown on November 11, 2023. It was the 25th Anniversary of "Oukumo," the culminating celebration for Zion Hill's 13-week Rites of Passage Program. This landmark occasion served
as a resounding affirmation of the invaluable role the church continues to play in shaping the lives of young people. This year, the program marked a quarter-century commitment to formally nurturing youth participants, ranging from church members and southwest Atlanta residents to residents from the greater metropolitan Atlanta area, as they completed a formalized ritual transitioning from teen
boys and girls into young adults. Since its inception, Zion Hill's Rites of Passage has been patterned after the precepts of a practice in traditional African societies. The original vision for Zion Hill's Rites of Passage Program was birthed by Dr. Aaron L. Parker and actualized, in an esteemed fashion, under the leadership of First Lady Sheila Parker in 1995. (continued on page 3)