Students, faculty and staff celebrated the sixth annual interfaith service honoring the life and works of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, which was held in Johnson Chapel on Sunday as part of the College's Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. The service included an address by guest speaker Reverend Zina Jacque, the Pastoral Counseling Director of Trinity Episcopal Church in Boston, performances by both the Concert Choir and the Gospel Choir and readings of Dr. King's writings by students.

"I thought [Jacque] was an amazing speaker," Nar Taing '04 said. "Her speech gave me some direction in my life and showed me that there is a purpose for me being here, and that I'm not at this college by chance."

In her address entitled "What are you doing here?" Jacque asked, "If Martin were here and asked you that question, what would you say?" During her address she reminded members of the audience that their presence at the College was not due to chance. She encouraged them to question their life's path, or "road map."

"When you follow your road map it will take you places you didn't expect to go," Jacque said. "If you help somebody along the way, your life will not be in vain."

The Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration traditionally consists of three parts: an interfaith worship service, a cultural event and a lecture.

According to Hermenia Gardner, a member of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee, the celebration started six years ago as part of a student initiative and initially only included the interfaith service. She said that the celebration has grown over the years, so that everyone in the College community would be able to participate, including those not comfortable at a religious service. According to Gardner, the cultural event will be a performance by the Morgan University Choir, to be held on Feb. 23 in Buckley Hall.

"I was very, very pleased about the service," Gardner said. "The music was spectacular and the Concert Choir brought tears to people's eyes. People thoroughly enjoyed it and it was powerful and moving. We appreciate the participation of the faculty and students because it's the community that makes it go."

The lecture will likely be held on Feb. 17 in Johnson Chapel and will be attended by the Lieutenant Governor of California, Cruz Bustamante, although Gardner said that they are still waiting to confirm that Bustamante will be able to speak at the College.

Gardner said the celebration was initiated when a group of students approached her in 1993 wanting the College to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy.

Over the past five years, the celebration has included national speakers such as Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s daughter Bernice King. Gardner explained that the interfaith service always takes place on the first Sunday in February because students start classes in late January and King's birthday on Jan. 15 always falls over Interterm.