“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.”

Almost 40 years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, his dream lives on that this nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed that all men are created equal.

Sunday, there will be a public program honoring the spirit and legacy of King. The annual service honoring Dr. King will be at 3:30 p.m., Jan. 14 at the House of Prayer at 3143 Goldie Road.

There will be gospel songs, poetry readings, and speakers telling of the legacy King leaves.

“His legacy lets us know we have the same rights to opportunity as anyone else and it doesn’t matter what color our skin is,” said Pastor Fannie Dean, who organized the program along with members of Unity Fellowship, which claims members from a number of local churches.

Dean considers this year’s celebration to be even more poignant because of the death of King’s widow, Coretta Scott King.

“It’s even more special because we lost her this year,” Dean said. “As they say, when you are married, two are one and she was just as involved in civil rights as he was.”

Dean realizes civil rights have come a long way since the days of widespread segregation, but keeps an eye on the big picture.

“I can go places and do things without worry,” she said. “People before weren’t that lucky, but there’s still work that needs to be done. There are still walls up.”

Whidbey Island Naval Air Station held a Martin Luther King observance Friday morning while Coupeville and Oak Harbor schools plan to honor the late civil rights leader through a variety of projects and assemblies that will take place throughout the spring. From the grade school level to high school, students will write, create art and discuss topics such as citizenship, rights and dreams.

Pastor Dean said attendance at the annual celebration is always good, but that there’s room for more people to share in the vision and love of Dr. King.

“People wait all year for this program and they come because they know they’re going to see Jesus on a day like this,” she said. “Out of everything Dr. King did we have to keep it going. We have to come together and not just on Martin Luther King day.”