Jackson church honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
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NORTH JACKSON, Tenn. — While it’s been more than 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, many say segregation is an issue we still face in the United States. Sunday morning, Northside Assembly of God held a service of reconciliation to honor Dr. King’s dream. “People working together can accomplish more together than alone,” Dr. Logan Hampton said. Hampton, president of Lane College, held the crowd’s attention Sunday morning talking about the racial divide Jackson still faces and what needs to be done moving forward. “Living and building God’s kingdom in this hub city in Jackson, in this gumbo that we have, oh, it’s uncomfortable, isn’t it?” Hampton said. Pastor Randy Carter said even though Jackson is fairly evenly populated with blacks and whites, there is an obvious divide. “We still have that awkward situation about us and them,” Carter said. “The question today is what choice will we make?” Both Carter and Hampton said they believe Jackson is moving in the right direction but touched upon how people need to be taken out of their comfort zone in order to further change. “I think it’s one of those topics where people try to act like this didn’t happen, it’s in the past, and I think sometimes you have to feel uncomfortable in order to see change,” attendee Martina Johnson said. “I feel really hopeful for our community in that inroads might be made that were never made before,” church member Rhonda Hudson said. A guest from Nigeria described what the service meant to her. “He [God] created everybody to be equal, and that is what we have done here today, and I am so happy to be part of the service,” Augusta Ojokojo said. The morning ended with members assisting someone from a different race in communion.
