The Champaign County Ministerial Association held a service celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday, Jan. 14 at the Jerusalem Second Baptist Church in Urbana. Pictured are the event speakers in the background with the church’s musical group J2prayze leading the event.
Photo by Andrew Grimm Photography
Urbana Mayor Bill Bean speaks during the Champaign County Ministerial Association service celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday, Jan. 14 at the Jerusalem Second Baptist Church in Urbana.
Photo by Andrew Grimm Photography
Chip Murdock, Director of Diversity & Service at Wilmington College, delivered a message of hope during Sunday’s service.
Photo by Andrew Grimm Photography
Champaign County’s 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. service was held Sunday night at Jerusalem Second Baptist Church in Urbana.
The event was co-sponsored by The Champaign County Ministerial Association.
Integration of the spiritual and the scholastic, acknowledging progress while emphasizing the ongoing work ahead and “Building a Better Tomorrow” were the service’s themes.
Speakers from the local community and the region shared their thoughts, including Urbana Mayor Bill Bean, local leader Kalen Howell and keynote speaker Chip Murdock, Director of Diversity and Service at Wilmington College.
Music was provided by the Jerusalem Second Baptist Church’s own J2prayze group.
Communities across the nation celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday with events ranging from prayer services to parades, but a winter storm limited some activities.
President Joe Biden spent the holiday volunteering at Philabundance, a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia. Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to be in South Carolina to give the keynote address for the state NAACP’s “King Day at the Dome.”
In Atlanta, the King Center’s annual commemorative service was held at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King served as pastor. The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis was closed because of icy roads on Monday, but held a virtual celebration in honor of what would have been King’s 95th birthday.
