EVENT MARKS BIRTH OF MARTIN LUTHER KING

A crowd of about 150 people gathered Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church to honor the memory of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and were urged to "refuel King's dream" of equality for everyone.

The service was organized by the Southeast Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Cape Girardeau National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and local clergy.

At the program, Costella Patterson was presented with the first Martin Luther King Jr. Award.

The Rev. Craig L. Nessan, pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church, said the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the NAACP will present the award annually to "someone who's demonstrated the ideals of justice, freedom and social betterment through non-violence."

William Bird, pastor of Futrell Temple Church of God in Christ, told those gathered that Americans should reflect on King's message continually not only on the anniversary of his birth.

"As we attempt to recapture the dream, I don't believe once a year is sufficient to stimulate the proper motivation to change things for the better, not just for black Americans but for all mankind," he said.

Bird said the dramatic social and political changes occurring today present a unique challenge for those seeking social and racial equality.

"Dr. King said that he'd seen the promised land and, although he might not get there with us, he could see it," Bird said. "I'm just wondering if there's cause for us to be motivated to keep the dream alive and bring about social change and betterment for mankind everywhere.

"We must come up with new ideas to refuel the dream; otherwise there's little to motivate us or inspire us to keep on keepin' on.

"I want to make it to the promised land," he said. "Our forefathers put down principles where all of us our heritage is deeply embedded in the American heritage. But we have to be determined to reach it."

Wednesday's 90-minute service included several speakers and musical selections from various church choirs.

Leoma Leigh said that although she was born after King was killed in 1968, his legacy was passed on parents, grandparents and church.

She said King's words were in accord with the preamble to the U.S. Constitution. But she said the writers of the preamble "left out one thing: the ability to dream."

Leigh said it's important for black people today to dream of the realization of King's hope of equality and the end of discrimination.

"My grandparents felt the strong arm of oppression, but they dreamed to get beyond," she said. "They passed that dream on to my parents, who passed it on to me.

"Without a dream, as without a vision, the people perish. So thank you, Dr. King, for your dream."

Bernice Coar-Cobb, an administrator at Southeast Missouri State University, recounted her association with King during the 1950s and '60s. She quoted from the last sermon she heard King preach.

"He said, `The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine,'" said Coar-Cobb.

She said communities across the country must work together to cast off racial bitterness.

"We are a community tonight like we've never been before," she told the audience.

Coar-Cobb spelled out the first four letters of the word "community" and had those in attendance finish spelling the word. "You cannot spell community without `unity,'" she said.

Others who participated in the service included the Rev. Leoma Leigh, pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church; the Rev. Patricia Williams, pastor of Christ Episcopal Church; Andrew Pratt, director of the Southeast Missouri State Baptist Student Union; Charlene Peyton, a local church musician and gospel singer; Linda Michel, counselor at Southeast Missouri State; and choirs from St. James A.M.E., St. Mark Lutheran, and Second Baptist.