Ever since Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in 1983, people around the country have taken the day to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and work. Flag Baptist Church took the day to celebrate Dr. King through sermon and community. Monday’s service was full of powerful excerpts on the importance of Dr. King’s words in today’s world and how important it is to act on them.
The church hosted members from all areas of the Milledgeville community, including representatives from local education, law enforcement, NAACP and even State House Representative and pastor Mike Jackson.
Jackson gave a speech weighing the importance of King’s words in relation to today’s youth. He stressed the importance of today’s freedoms in contrast to America’s past.
“I hope younger people will understand that we grew up with different values than they did. I think if they learn the legacy that Dr. King left behind, and the struggle he went through, then they would enjoy the freedoms we have today.
It wasn’t easy during segregation. I want young people to vote. I want them to learn the value of going to the polls and voting,” said Jackson.
Jackson’s speech was met with a round of applause across the entire room. Much of his speech and the rest of the service surrounded the idea of making an impact in the community.
“It’s important to have that desire to fulfill the things in your community and bring something back to your community,” said Jackson.
This dedicated service is a yearly tradition for Flag Baptist Church. This year’s tagline for the service was “Building A Community, Uniting A Nation, The Non-Violent Way.” This idea was exemplified throughout the program, which gave chances for community representatives to introduce themselves and their respective organizations.
The program also included prayer from Baldwin County school district board member Dr. Gloria Wicker, singing from Songstress De’Andre Saincine, and a Black history moment from Baldwin County NAACP President Cynthia Ward-Edwards.
Edwards acknowledged the importance of looking back and applying that knowledge to move forward in today’s environment.
“If you had asked me on this day a couple years ago, I would have said that we are advancing. If you ask me today, though, in today’s climate I think we are moving back,” said Edwards. “I want people to leave here understanding the history of why we celebrate. I also want them to know how important it is to work together so that we can move forward.”