King honored ecumenically

Gospel songs and patriotic medleys reverberated against the walls of the Metropolitan New Testament Mission Baptist Church on Second Street, splintering the stillness of the winter night.

Quiet offerings of prayer from two bishops, a rabbi, a Hindu representative and several local ministers mingled with speeches from New York State Governor George Pataki and Mayor Gerald Jennings of Albany, while a full house of more than 250 people listened with rapt attention.

Goals

"Our first goal is the planning and implementation of the memorial service that celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this specific day, every year. At this celebration, we request a free-will offering for our scholarship fund that was established in 1982 to assist college bound men and women," she began.

"The second goal is to award the scholarship to deserving applicants who have pledged to live the ideals of Dr. King. These scholarships are awarded without discrimination to race, creed or gender."

Since 1982, the committee has awarded scholarships to 98 recipients.

Tuneful night

Familiar songs, such as "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and the national anthem, were sung by one choir while congregational hymns of faith and redemption were echoed by the other.

While ministers of different faiths reverently remembered Dr. King for his belief in overcoming hatred and racial discrimination with love and non-violence, choir members roused the congregation to their feet with hand-clapping, foot-stomping words of spiritual empowerment.

Equality

Earlier, Gov. Pataki told the crowd that "we live in the greatest country ever created on earth, and yet...we are not a perfect society."

He cautioned that the U.S. allowed racial injustices to flourish through slavery, "Jim Crow" laws, the absence of equality and the denial of human rights. "This doesn't mean that these are inherent flaws in our society," said the Governor. "It means that we are merely human."

He then urged all present to strive for equality of opportunity and to be examples to others of the ideals of Dr. King. He asked that people embrace the obligation to ensure that every child has the best education and opportunity for success.

Scholarships

"It is always a wonderful celebration and one of the rare times we all gather ecumenically in one of the area's African American churches. I always enjoy the great gospel music!"

(The Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Memorial Service is sponsored by the Capital Area Council of Churches, the Capital District Board of Rabbis, the Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, and the Interdenominational Ministers' Conference. For information, call 462-5450.)

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