By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
On Jan. 17, with a theme of “The Struggle Is Real, The Fight Is Still,” members of various religious beliefs gathered for the eighth annual breakfast and worship service held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event took place at Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ in Ward 8. And, from the comments which resounded throughout the service, it was apparent that people were eager to celebrate the day in song, prayer and praise.
The message was delivered by Bishop Mariann Budde, an Episcopal prelate who has served as Bishop of Washington since 2011, making history as the first female bishop of the diocese.
Budde, ordained as a deacon in 1988 and a priest in 1989, has been a vocal advocate for justice and equality for America’s marginalized groups since her appointment. She proudly delivered the homily at the January 2025 interfaith prayer service following Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration in a sermon that called for compassion and mercy for those still denied justice and equal rights.
Each year one District church located east of the river, which encompasses Wards 7 and 8 and is mostly composed of African Americans, hosts the service. This year, Covenant Baptist, located in Ward 8, took the reins.
As in year’s past, the service included ministers from throughout the greater Washington area that represent different faiths and traditions. The multicultural, intergenerational celebration includes worship, fellowship and a powerful call to action.
In a statement from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, leaders said they were proud to co-sponsor the event as part of their East of the River ministries partnership.
Budde said she, like millions of other Americans, marks the King holiday as a time to remind the nation’s leaders that the U.S. has yet to make good on the ideas promised to all citizens in the U.S. Constitution.
“Dr. King fought without muskets and guns, but instead waged battle through nonviolent means,” she said. “He pressed our nation to finally reckon with its long legacy of slavery and was guided by the redemptive power of God.”
She admitted that she knew very little about King and the Civil Rights Movement when she completed her studies in seminary and began working for the church during her early 20s.
“Who he was and what he stood for were foreign to me back then, “she said. “My first congregation knew even less. But I do remember the backlash to which those who advocated for the King holiday were subjected. Even more, I remember how dedicated they were to the accomplishment of their goal, a national holiday – one from which all Americans and the world now benefit.”
Budde’s sermon title, “Unfulfilled Dreams,” spoke to King’s vision for the future, which he outlined in his “I Have a Dream” sermon during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
“We cannot ignore the fact that today, our federal government and its leaders, have an antithetical view of the teachings and beliefs of Dr. King,” she said. “King was adamant in his reflections about the dangers of White supremacy which we see has undergone new life among many Americans.
Budde reminded the audience that “King was relentless.”
“He was willing to both oppose and support ideas which were sometimes questioned by those within his own camp. When he went to Chicago, when he traveled to Memphis, when he stood against economic disparities, he was sometimes at odds with his colleagues in the movement,” Budde continued. “But he carried God’s yoke and remained obedient to God. And while he sometimes may not have wanted to, he did so until his life was cut short.”
Budde’s reflections echoed those of last year’s keynote speaker, the Rev. Karen Curry, another prominent female leader in the church and active leader in the Anacostia community.
“During the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. boldly focused on God’s instructions to him because he realized that far too many of us were petitioning the wrong authorities,” Curry said. “Those who have faith understand that within the struggle for equal rights, we are wasting our time if we look to the leaders of our communities to deliver justice for all. Dr. King knew that too. That’s why he put his trust in God – the true and only miracle worker.”
