Photo by Julie Stenger Area clergymen and city officials were among those who gathered at the Second Baptist Church on Sunday evening to participate in an ecumenical memorial service for Martin Luther King Jr. Presented by the Martin Luther King Association of Steubenville, the event featured presenters and guests, including, from left, Steubenville Police Chief Ken Anderson, Fifth Ward Councilman Ted Gorman, MLK Association President James Baber, Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon and Steubenville Mayor Ralph Petrella.

STEUBENVILLE — A hush fell over the sanctuary as people from all corners of the community came together under one roof Sunday evening. It was a quiet that is not at all about silence, but about sharing for a few hours those things which divide us.

As winter whipped through the night air, rattling the bare tree branches and stained-glass windows, a warmth could be found inside the Second Baptist Church on Adams Street. Inside, there were not just Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians or Catholics.

There were neighbors from across town … a community gathered there for one purpose — to honor a man whose dream was not just a speech found in the pages of a history book.

They were there to honor that man’s living, breathing blueprint for how we ought to treat one another here at home.

Sunday evening’s ecumenical service for Martin Luther King Jr. was not just a tribute to the past. It was a reminder to continue King’s dream into the future, no matter our religion, ethnicity or nationality.

The event was made possible by the Martin Luther King Association of Steubenville and its president, James Baber.

The evening served as a reminder that the dream King spoke of decades ago remains a work in progress — a “Mission Possible” that requires the active participation of every hand, every heart in the Ohio Valley.

The service began with a welcome from the Rev. Jeffrey Stanford, pastor of Second Baptist Church, who introduced the Rev. James Brown, pastor of the Morning Star Baptist Church.

Brown delivered the invocation, followed by a musical selection performed and led by Linda Brown.

This year’s theme, “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Non-Violent Way,” resonated within the historic walls of the church. It served as a direct challenge to the way neighbors interact in an increasingly fractured world.

The message was clear: Non-violence is not merely the absence of physical conflict, but the presence of a deliberate, radical kindness in how we treat one another in our daily lives, whether it be in the checkout aisle of the grocery store, within our workplace, or across our backyard fences.

The importance of the evening was reflected in the diverse group of local leaders in attendance. Among the guests showing their support for the mission of unity were Steubenville Police Chief Ken Anderson, Fifth Ward Councilman Ted Gorman, Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon and Steubenville Mayor Ralph Petrella.

Each spoke of the need to continue to build a stronger community and the impact King has had in their own lives.

Petrella stated it is because of King that he is the person he is today, saying he keeps a quote of King’s on his desk and looks at it every day.

That quotes reads: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Gorman spoke of the most important thing we can do is to give back through service. As the principal of the Jefferson County Vocational School and former administrator in the Steubenville City School District, Gorman expressed the need to keep King’s dream in every aspect of his life, whether it be in the classroom, in council chambers or in the community.

McManamon talked about his coming to the city 23 years ago, noting Baber has been a mentor of his for years. He thanked Anderson for leading a “great police department,” and stated residents are blessed to have his leadership.

McManamon commented about continuing to move the city forward throughout 2026, citing many initiatives will be moving forward.

He welcomes anyone to attend City’s Council meetings.

The highlight of the service was a keynote address delivered by the Rev. Rudy McAllister, pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Weirton.

A man whose life reflects a commitment to service, McAllister joined the Air Force in 1982 and serves as the president of the Weirton Ecumenical Council.

Despite his many roles and the joy of being a father to six and a grandfather to 11, he remains humble. He shared with those in the sanctuary his greatest accomplishment is simply being called to preach the Word of God.

McAllister spoke with conviction about the legacy King left for the world, emphasizing the path of progress was paved with immense pain.

The topic of his talk was about embracing suffering, saying that we, as Christians, often believe that whenever we are suffering, it is because God is angry with us.

However, “that is not the case,” the pastor explained.

McAllister shared there is plenty of suffering going on in the world, but we need to make sure we are suffering for the right things — for the sake of Christ.

He reminded the congregation how King suffered significantly for the cause of justice, having been jailed, whipped and “called every name imaginable,” … “except for a child of God.”

It was through this perspective that McAllister discussed the necessity of embracing suffering for the sake of one’s faith and the betterment of humanity.

“As long as you are suffering for Christ’s sake, embrace it,” McAllister told those in attendance. He drew a parallel between King’s sacrifices and the spiritual discipline required to love others in a modern world that often chooses hostility over harmony.

The message was a call to internalize that peace King preached.

McAllister urged everyone, of every nationality, every color, every denomination, to guard their spirits against the bitterness of the world, telling them to never let anyone “steal your joy.”

He challenged the community to look at the way they treat their fellow man as a reflection of their faith, noting true unity often requires a level of personal discomfort and sacrifice.

“We all want eternal life,” McAllister concluded, offering a final thought on the journey of faith and social justice. “But we have to suffer sometimes.”

As the service concluded, the congregation stood together, reflecting the very unity the association strives to encourage.

It was an evening that proved that while the mission may be immense, it is indeed possible when communities choose to walk a non-violent path and honor the past by improving the way we care for one another in the present.