Coleman to be honored at Tulsa MLK remembrance

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·3 min read

Apr. 10—A Tulsa minister says Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman "has the potential to be a Dr. Martin Luther King."

"He's a great civil rights person who stands up for everybody," said the Rev. W.R. Casey, president of Christian Ministers Alliance of the Greater Tulsa Area, about Coleman. "He doesn't see color."

Coleman will be among six civil rights and civic leaders to be honored at a memorial tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., at 6 p.m. Sunday at Gilcrease Hills Baptist Church. The service marks the 53rd anniversary of King's assassination, April 4,1968, Casey said.

The service will feature a sermon and a reading of King's "Letter from a Birmingham jail."

Other honorees are former Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, former Washington High Basketball Coach Mike Mims, Msgr. Patrick Gaalaas of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Tulsa, Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Belcher and former State Rep. Scott Bighorse.

Admission is free, but an offering will be taken. People also can sign pledge forms. The event is a fundraiser to help the Alliance build a youth center in North Tulsa.

"We want to reach out and help children, not only in Tulsa but other areas," Casey said.

Casey said the Christian Ministers Alliance is honoring Coleman "because he's a great leader."

"Muskogee made great strides when they elected an African American mayor," Casey said.

Coleman, also pastor of Antioch Temple of Hope, said he feels honored and humbled by the honor.

"My grandpa used to tell me it's nice to be nice, especially when people are nice to you," he said. "I think it's a nice honor that they're even taking the time to recognize me."

He said that, like King, he seeks to bring people closer together.

"If I don't do anything else in my life, what I really want to do is bring people together across religions, across color, to help us focus on the greater cause, which is humanity as a whole," he said. "I just do what I do because I don't know how to do anything else. If somebody recognizes that as an honor, that is very humbling."

Casey said he has known Coleman since Coleman worked with the Rev. Ben Noble, the previous Antioch pastor.

Coleman recalled working with Casey.

"Casey has always been one of those clergymen who's been loyal to younger pastors, trying to make sure that whenever we had a need or someone we could talk to, he was available," he said. "Just the way he would think of me the way he did is very humbling."

Coleman said Noble taught him "the importance of caring for people."

"And that people are born to make mistakes, but clergy, through the love of God, should always be there to get up from their mistakes and do better," Coleman said. "He just taught me how to love on people. Even if they are not lovable, God calls us as clergy to love on them as He has loved us."

Casey said the Alliance has been operating for 53 years. He's been president for 30 years.

If you go

WHAT: Remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. assassination.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: Gilcrease Hills Baptist Church, 2001 W. Newton St., Tulsa.

HONOREES:

—Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman.

—Former Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry.

—Former Washington High Basketball Coach Mike Mims.

—Msgr. Patrick Gaalaas, pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Tulsa,

—Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Belcher.

—Former State Rep. Scott Bighorse.