Fayetteville residents pause to honor Martin Luther King through service, prayer

The city hosted its 26th annual prayer breakfast, which urged residents to participate in a day of service along with the Salvation Army's Love Dinner, which will deliver meals to needy Cumberland County residents.

Dozens of people gathered for the prayer breakfast, which was held at the Crown Expo Center and included singing, praying and fellowship.

In Fayetteville, the audience was diverse and it included the young and the young at heart.

Several attendees said the breakfast was an important way to remember Dr. King's message of uniting people through non-violence and love.

Organizers said the event is a good way to teach young people about what King stood for.

"We are still singing we shall overcome," said Fayetteville resident Thomas Leak. "I would love to see the day come when we can say we have overcome and I hope it's right around the corner, if not today."

Proceeds from the breakfast will be used to provides money for a number of programs sponsored by the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Ministerial Council, which includes benefiting the group's scholarship program.