The New York Metropolitan Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolence held its 15th annual Interfaith Observance for Religious and Racial Harmony, honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 27th year of his national holiday.
The celebration began at 2 p.m. with words of inspiration at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York (96th and Third Avenue). All those gathered traveled in charter buses to the Sutton Place Synagogue (225 E. 51st St.) for welcoming words and inspiration from the Synagogue Rabbi Rachel Ain. The congregants then proceeded in a silent prayer march to St. Bartholomew’s Church (51st and Park Avenue) for the last leg of the journey for Interfaith Services and were welcomed to St. Bartholomew’s Church with Drummers Walk of Peace.
The afternoon service included a musical greeting from the choir of King Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church; opening remarks from Cliff Frazier, executive director of the New York Metropolitan MLK Jr. Center for Nonviolence; and welcoming from the Rev. Buddy Stalling, St. Bartholomew’s Church.
The afternoon congregation was overwhelmed by the musical selection from the Taeko and Japanese Freedom GAIKA Chorus, which paid their own fare from Japan to New York City to be a part of the King Day celebration.