Effie Boyles’ heart is warmed by what she’s been hearing lately inside her Oak Harbor church.

As the evangelist at the House of Prayer, Boyles is helping coordinate a celebratory event in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Since November, choir members from three different Oak Harbor churches have tried to meet one night a week to rehearse for celebrations that will take place at 11 a.m. Friday at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Chapel and again at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the House of Prayer near Goldie Road.

“I can truly say that we have come this far by faith,” Boyles said after a rehearsal at her church Monday night. “I will stick to those words. We’re trusting and leaning on the Lord.”

Members from House of Prayer, Mission Ministry Outreach and Living Faith Christian Center are collaborating to put on the longtime annual event.

The coordinator is Fannie Dean, pastor at Mission Ministry Outreach.

“We call it unity fellowship because it’s different churches coming together to do one event,” Dean said.

“In Oak Harbor, there are many things that churches get together to do. It’s a special movement when it comes to the Dr. King celebration.”

The preparation efforts consisted of Monday night choir rehearsals involving the three churches during a tricky time of year considering the holidays.

Robert Porter, who attends Living Faith, worked around his college schedule to fit in time to man the keyboard.

“This is a very important guy,” Dean said, motioning to Porter. “He knows how to play from the new hip hop to the old-time gospel.”

Porter said the group will be pulling from any number of the 12 patriotic, spiritual and historic songs they’ve been rehearsing, which include “America the Beautiful,” “Days of Elijah,” and “We Shall Overcome.”

Irene Allen was chosen as lead vocalist. The singer drew praise from choir members and stares from small children in attendance who watched her belt out notes during rehearsal.

“I love her voice,” said Amaya Johns, a fifth grader who is part of the supporting singers.

“Oh my goodness,” Porter said. “She has a real gospel slash blues style or rasp to her voice.”

Allen, who is from Louisiana, said she felt blessed to picked to sing lead with the group during such an important event.

“It’s just a glorious thing to me,” said Allen, who attends Living Faith Christian Center. “I was so blessed and honored when they asked me. That was such a blessing to come together in unity with all these young people. And we’re all loving Jesus just the same.”

Wismine Davilar, who attends Mission Ministry Outreach, said being part of a community celebration for such an important African-American civil rights leader has been personally rewarding.

“It brings unity,” she said. “Unity not with the churches, but with everybody. Black or white. Hispanic or Filipino. No matter what nationality you are, no matter what color. It’s just unity.

“Because Martin Luther King, his dream was there would be no segregation between anybody. They would be able to walk together in love and be there for one another, no matter what color, what race. Being a part of this — this is my second year — it brings joy because everybody comes together as one and actually celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King. It’s like peace.”

Rodney Moss, commanding officer at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit at NAS Whidbey, will be the program’s speaker. He’ll also play the drums.

“I got here last year,” Moss said. “I was able to attend the ceremony. I saw the unity of five different churches coming together. I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of because it’s showing not only the different flavors of each of the services, but it’s also bringing them in and blending it all together.

“The opportunity is to highlight the successes and the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, but at the same time, bring together part of his vision and his dream of unity. It all works well.”

Moss considers it an honor to speak during a celebration that is honoring the civil rights leader.

“Dr. Martin Luther King left a legacy of a dream,” Moss said. “That part is what I’m going to try to focus in on: The dream within each one of us and how we realize that dream.”

The House of Prayer is located at 620 Erin Park Drive in Oak Harbor. The public is welcome to attend Sunday’s event.