‘We are the Spirit’s movement toward love’: New resources for MLK Day 2026 focus on a man within a movement

On Jan. 19, communities around the United States will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to honor the life and legacy of the Civil Rights Movement leader.

The United Church of Christ Racial Justice Ministries have prepared a collection of prayers, speeches, liturgies, and readings for reimagining MLK Day: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Man Within a Movement.

These resources were developed for planning worship and solidarity gatherings that celebrate King’s life and legacy.

“The Civil Rights Movement demanded an end to segregation, the right to vote, and guaranteed freedoms to live without colonialism and white supremacy threats against Black people in America,” said the Rev. Velda Love, UCC minister for Racial Justice. “The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned a day when all God’s people would embrace and work towards liberation, freedom, and justice for all. Movements are born from grassroots organizing and mobilization. Movements encourage solidarity for equity and full inclusion, human dignity, and respect of full personhood. Movements create equity across cultures and ethnicities, non-binary identities, and orientations. Be a radical solidarity partner and courageous leader. The Movement Towards Racial Justice Continues!”

‘A leader-full movement’

One prayer of confession in the resource reads:

God of many gifts and one Spirit, we confess that sometimes it is easier to celebrate a single prophetic voice, than to honor the complex movements that give rise to freedom. When in our desire to honor leaders, we forget or gloss over all those who make change possible, forgive us. When we lift up Martin Luther King, Jr. as a visionary and leader, and ignore or disbelieve that we have a part to play in making his dreams a reality, forgive us.  Empower us to take up our roles in the movement toward racial justice, knowing that each of us has unique gifts to offer, and together, we are the Spirit’s movement toward love.

Several additional prayers, responsive readings, and excerpts from King’s speeches are included.

“No movement is a single leader, but every movement is shaped by individuals who find ways to make their unique contributions to build and amplify our collective power for change,” writes Sharon R. Fennema in the introduction. “The resources highlighted here are an invitation to celebrate the impact of Dr. King’s leadership within the leader-full movement toward racial justice. May Dr. King’s voice and vision call you to take up your unique role in the work of racial justice because the movement towards racial justice continues!”

Find the complete Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Man Within a Movement resource here.

---

Content on ucc.org is copyrighted by the National Setting of the United Church of Christ and may be only shared according to the guidelines outlined here.