Richard’s Chapel hosts Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Day

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TROY — A large group of approximately 100 local residents gathered at Richard’s Chapel on West McKaig Avenue on Monday, Jan. 16, to attend a special service held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Power without love is reckless and abusive,” keynote speaker Rev. Jawwad Love, pastor of United Methodist Church in Springfield said. “Love without power is sentimental and anemic.”

“Justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love,” Love said.

The annual service was held directly after a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. march that started at the Troy Senior Citizen’s Center on North Market Street and ended at Richard’s Chapel.

The ceremony was hosted by Richard’s Chapel, and organized by the city of Troy’s MLK Planning Team. The service was attended by Troy Mayor Robin Oda and several members of city council, including City Council President William Lutz and Council members Bobby Phillips, William Rozell and Jeff Schilling. Council member Todd Severt also helped to organize the event.

“It looks like a few more people this year,” Pastor Kimma Cunningham of Richard’s Chapel said. “It’s usually about 50 or 60 people who march.”

Lincoln Community Center provided van transportation for those who were unable to march, and other sponsors for the event included Tim Horton’s, The Troy Foundation, I.D.E.A. Troy, Hickory River Barbecue, and Divine Apostolic Ministries and the Troy Senior Citizens’ Center.

The ceremony featured presentations by students from Heywood Elementary School, and the presentation of this year’s Wesley McCoy Sr. Community Service Award to Dean Matthews, who volunteers with Partners in Hope and several other local organizations.

“He does a number of things,” Partners in Hope representative Sonia Holycross said. “He’s just an amazing guy.”

“We started the community service award to provide the opportunity to showcase people who are doing things in the community,” Cunningham said.

The MLK Planning Team is currently accepting nominations for next year’s award.

“If anybody has a nominee, they can contact Pastor Cunningham at Richard’s Chapel or the Beloved Community Team,” Holycross said.

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