“I’ve personally been affected by his life and ministry. As a minister he preached the word of God and the gospel. When listening to his sermons, I’ve received the truth that all men were created in the image of God and in our shortcomings there is still hope and a chance for redemption,” he said.
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
Pastor Shaquila Mathews of the Truth & Life Church in Hamilton, says growing up on Martin Luther King Blvd. in the city and thinking about the slain civil rights leaders brings out many emotions.
Mathews remembered how her grandmother instilled a sense of pride in her and her brother regarding King’s accomplishments and the fight to make sure that social justice existed for everyone.
“The 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination allows us to reflect as a country as to where we are now in looking at the legacy that he laid and the foundation and the sacrifice that he made with his life so people from all races and socio-economic backgrounds could have hope of love and peace,” she said.
Mathews said that King’s final published book before his assassination — “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” — had a huge impact on the black community as it challenges people currently to think about issues such as poverty, school shootings and homelessness.
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