Community Corner

Honoring a Great Man: MLK's Legacy in Words and Song

Martin Luther King's life and legacy were honored elegantly and joyfully at an interfaith celebration Monday night at the Woodbridge Community Center

A nice-sized crowd of admirers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gathered Monday night to celebrate his life and legacy at an interfaith service, "The Dream Continues," at the Woodbridge Community Center. 

From the lilting voices of the Colonia High School Choir with "Lift Every Voice and Sing," to the out-and-out joyous reveling of the First Baptist Church of Woodbridge choir's rocking rendition of "I am a Friend of God," the evening had every musical base covered.

A number of readings from Dr. King's speeches added depth and meaning to the event. The Rev. James Thomas of the First Presbyterian Church of Iselin gave opening remarks while other religious leaders - Rev. Neva Lawson of the First Baptist Church of Woodbridge, Deacon Lilliam Colon-Gilzean of the First Presbyterian Church of Iselin, and Imam Tamer Nasr, of the Muslim Community of NJ in Fords - all gave poignant addresses to which the audience responded enthusiastically.

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Then there was little Prince Verma, a third grader at Kennedy Park School in Iselin. He read the essay he wrote which won in a district-wide contest on Dr. King. His principal, Jill Osborne-Hodes, smiled approvingly at his side.

The evening ended on an uplifting note when the assembled crowd gathered to clasp hands and sing, "We Shall Overcome."

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MLK is not forgotten more than four decades after his death. In fact, in the beaming faces of the assembled guests, he was and is very much alive.


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