By DENISE ELAM
Features Editor

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — A night of praise and worship was hosted in the Alumni Memorial Chapel Monday, Jan. 16, as part of UCM’s 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.

PHOTOS BY KAITLIN BROTHERS / REPORTER Terrence Moody served as the master of ceremony during the MLK worship event at the Alumni Chapel.

Jeff Imboden and Conner Cummings from First United Methodist Church in Warrensburg led the crowd with gospel music. The Jesus Saves Faithful Praize Mime Dancers from the Jesus Saves Pentecostal Church in Warrensburg performed a Martin Luther King, Jr. themed dance and Perry Foster III performed his rendition of “My Soul is Anchored.”

UCM Professor Albion Mends, Jr., the featured speaker at the event, compared the current state of America to a ship. Mends said we are all on the same ship right now, and that ship is leaking.

“But with resolution and determination that you (and) me will do what we can to make a difference, to be empathetic, to be loving and caring and to decide that for you and me and my house, we want to make this place a better place to live,” Mends said. “We want to make this world a better place – not only for ourselves, (but) for generations to come.”

Mends made a point about keeping Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream alive.

“Dreams don’t die,” Mends said. “People die, but dreams don’t die.”

Terrence Moody, pastor of the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Warrensburg, served as the master of ceremony at the worship. Moody said the purpose of the service was to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message, especially concerning the beloved community.

Members of the Jesus Saves Faithful Praize Mine Dancers perform Monday, Jan. 16, in the Alumni Chapel.

“He was about communities. He talks a lot about us coming together in unity.” Moody said. “There are many differences that we had but we all have a common goal, and our common goal is humanity and I believe that we all must come to work together for it to be as great as it can be.”

Pastor Joel Kurz of Bethlehem Lutheran Church presented the Warrensburg Ministerial Association’s Beloved Community Scholarship to UCM student Landon Demel. Kurz said the scholarship’s purpose is to promote education and betterment of those in the community.

Demel, who has autism, said the scholarship helps him pursue his dream of studying biology.

Keyontae Richardson, a senior at UCM, said she liked how the speakers conveyed the message.

“I think it was a good message, especially being that we’re only two weeks into the new year,” Richardson said. “We kind of got a message or a push to go forth. And what better way to do it than to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King and his dream?”

Richardson said Meins’ speech about keeping the dream alive hit home for her.

“I currently am trying to live out his dream, so just hearing that was a confirmation that the works that I do don’t go unnoticed and the works that I do now will prosper into something bigger.”