Cheyenne Ministerial Alliance Celebrates MLK Holiday

Cheyenne, Wyoming,Tribune-Eagle ^ | 01-21-03 | Zamora, Michael

[Theodore R.]

Alliance celebrates MLK holiday

By Michael Zamora Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

CHEYENNE – Joyful cries and words of praise kept the dream alive Sunday night as the Ministerial Alliance celebrated the life, work and death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Church members from Allen Chapel A.M.E., New Kingdom Church of God in Christ, Holy Temple and Unity Missionary Baptist Church gathered at Second Baptist Church to participate in the memorial service “Keep the Dream Alive.”

The Rev. Ernest Fitzhugh of New Kingdom Church of God in Christ said they hold the service every year to show unity among the churches.

“We need to show unity is alive in ourselves,” Fitzhugh said. “That’s what Dr. King was about. As a pastor, if we as leaders of the community can’t come together ourselves, how can we expect the community to come together.”

Fitzhugh said the service allows them to celebrate the things King did for every person.

“We’re celebrating his death, because through that he accomplished many things,” Fitzhugh said. “It’s not about a day off. What it’s about is equality for all mankind.”

He said King was a man of God first, so paying tribute to him at a service was the best thing they could do.

“We don’t want to forget what he was and what he accomplished,” Fitzhugh said. “This is paying honor and homage to him by doing it in a church.”

Councilman C.J. Brown, a member of New Kingdom Church, served as master of ceremonies during the service, which featured performances from the Community Choir and readings and prayers from represented churches.

Brown said the service and other King events are important for everyone, but particularly younger generations that didn’t live through the time of the civil rights movement.

“If we fail to encourage our young people, there’s no one to blame but ourselves,” Brown said during the service. “We’ve got to give our youth the boost they need.”

The Rev. Donald Battles from New Kingdom Church, who was the guest speaker at the service, praised God for all that he called on King to do for this country, comparing King to Moses.

“They were both called to lead the people,” Battles said, “sometimes to places they didn’t want to go.

“Dr. Martin Luther King went through a lot of things for me. He suffered a whole lot of things, so we as a people, amen, could enjoy the things that God ordained us to enjoy.”

But he said the best way to honor King is to continue his dream.

“Dr. Martin Luther King has done his work,” Battles said. “But baby, we still here and we still got work to do, so we might as well roll up our sleeves and reclaim our community.

“Some of us have gotten too comfortable on the wrong side of the Jordan. (God’s) saying the work that Martin Luther King did is not over.”

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march begins at noon and goes from the Cheyenne Depot Square to the Capitol. Gov. Dave Freudenthal and Mayor Jack Spiker are scheduled to speak. The Unitarian Church will serve soup and dessert right after the march at Allen Chapel, 917 W. 21st St.

The 14th annual Cheyenne Youth Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. begins at 4 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 2403 Snyder Ave. Youths will present songs, poetry and drama

[Theodore R.]

This is my last post on "King Day." It is clear that "King Day" has become a significant development in America's cultural heritage.

[G.Mason]

What's significant is that I am starting to feel bad for you.

You filed 4 posts on MLK day and had no takers?

Well, this one's for you.

[Catspaw]

I hope your head doesn't blow up looking at this picture of Coretta Scott King and Gov. Sonny Perdue:

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King's vision echoes amid national debates (By Anand Vaishnav, Globe Staff) Messages both inspiring and somber thundered from pulpits, hotel ballrooms, and city streets yesterday as the region and the nation marked what many cited as the unfinished legacy of slain civil rights crusader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Kerry speaks on race to black audience in South

Coretta Scott King joined in song with the Rev. Michael Pfleger of Chicago and Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia at a commemorative service yesterday in Atlanta.  Story (Reuters Photo)

[Theodore R.]

No, Catspaw, it is no surprise that conservatives join in the celebration of the liberals' holiday. It is expected that the conservatives woo Mrs. King, but she always goes Democrat as far as I know.

[Theodore R.]

I just wanted to show how King Day is celebrated nearly everywhere now, but Washington's Birthday will be largely ignored. There was also a big King Day observance in San Antonio and many other cities. The purpose of the multiple posts was to show America's embrace of a modern "hero," but her declining interest in the founding fathers. Liberal New Orleans has even removed the name of "slaveholder" Washington from the name of a school. Conservatives now seem very comfortable with the King holiday. Perhaps they think that they can use this to recruit black support, but come election day, no matter what year, the blacks will remain solidly Democrat. That's a recent fact of history.