Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On May 18, 2003 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "last year, Abu-Akel gave the invocation at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday observance at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church. Despite his introduction as a local Presbyterian minister, despite a prayer that invoked God and Jesus, his name seemed to cause some confusion... For the past year, Abu-Akel has been preaching his message of tolerance and understanding from one of the loftier pulpits in American religion. Last June, he became moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the highest elected position in a denomination of 2.5 million that is a cornerstone of the Protestant establishment."