“It’s a Good Day.”

Jill Brandon led off Monday’s community service in commemoration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with that song, and speakers and musicians followed with messages of love and unity.

The annual MLK Day march in Mineola transformed into a parade and drive-up event in a nod to health and safety protocols.

Keynote speaker Michael Mize, who serves as preacher at the New Hope Baptist Church as well as principal of Alba-Golden High School, noted that MLK Day is the only holiday that calls upon participants to serve their communities.

King challenged us to serve our communities, Mize noted, saying that the “time is always right to do the right thing.”

Mize focused his remarks on four “C’s”: commemoration, celebration, congratulations and collaboration.

King was a preacher of the gospel, Mize said, and preached the redeeming power of salvation. The only change that can be made in this world is through a heart change, he said.

“This crowd can make a positive change in Mineola, Texas through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as our Savior,” he said.

That crowd encircled the drive at the Mineola Civic Center and substituted horn honking for applause, as most remained in their vehicles and listened and watched on KMOO radio and the Mineola ISD Facebook page.

Ali Jordan, Mineola High School sophomore, who introduced fellow band members who performed, called King one of the greatest leaders in the fight for equality and quoted his remark that, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

Noting the day’s theme of unity, Lindale High School sophomore Ian Wishart said true unity may never be achieved because men are selfish creatures. The country may be just as divided as it was during the Civil War.

As a 16-year-old, he said he doesn’t have the answer. But we must acknowledge that we do have a problem and all come together.

Pastor Demethrius Boyd echoed Mize, that only through Jesus Christ can true things be done.

He recalled King’s words, that if you preach the Gospel in every aspect apart from the time you live in, you’re not preaching the gospel.

“It is never irrelevant,” he said. “It is the answer and the antidote to every issue.”

Boyd told the story of Jay Willard Marriott, the hotel magnate, who found that he could make more money by building his hotels higher, which required elevators. But the elevators of the time were slow, leading to customer complaints. 

He found that if he lined the interiors with mirrors, complaints dropped. When people look at themselves, they are less apt to complain or find fault.

To go to the next level requires looking within, Boyd explained.

“What do we see?” he asked. “Do we need to do better? Let’s do better, and let it begin with me.”

In his benediction, Pastor David Bethel said, “I want to leave this event today and do better.”

He said King’s dream needs to become reality today as never before.