JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With more than one reason to celebrate, church members at Epiphany Baptist Church on the Westside paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. in song and dance, reciting King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
The church service honoring King was just a prelude to another memorable moment. Church members said the president being sworn in on King's national holiday is the dream realized.
"The dream that Dr. King talked about in the '60s is a reality, not just because he's black, but because a lot of changes have taken place," minister Richard Burton said.
Church members held hands and prayed together before moving to the auditorium, where they watched as President Barack Obama take the oath of office and address the nation.
"I think it was good," Martina Harrison said. "He has an insight on what the country is going to be. I think he'll pull it all together with all our help."
Church members said watching the president being sworn into his second term was just as emotional as four years ago.
"I'm only 26 years old. To see this in my lifetime, two terms is amazing," Alice Withum said.
"Considering I came up in the '50s and '60s, it's an honor and a pleasure, and considering that I have lived this dream, I feel like I still have a lot of work to do," Flora Peterson said.