GLASGOW — “I have a dream” ... for ... “a more perfect union.”

Two men and two speeches have been brought together in history as one hope.

Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech in Washington, D.C., in August 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, when the realities of segregation and discrimination overshadowed the dreams and possibilities of equality and opportunity for all.

Sen. Barack Obama brought a phrase from the United States Constitution to the forefront of the nation’s consciousness once again as the theme of his speech in March 2008 in Philadelphia during his presidential campaign. He reminded everyone, that although progress had been made, the struggle for a more perfect union continues.

On the eve of the celebration of Dr. King’s birthday and in preparation of Tuesday’s inauguration of Sen. Obama as the country’s 44th president, members of Glasgow’s clergy came together to offer prayers and thanks for these events.

Johnson Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, at 208 East Brown St., was filled with ministers and members of the community Sunday afternoon to participate in a pre-celebration prayer service honoring the two men. Pastor of the church, Rev. James Buford and his wife, Pamela, welcomed 15 religious leaders from area churches to offer their prayers for family, church, community, healing, prosperity, leadership and unity.

Brother Lionel T. Buford told the congregation in his welcoming remarks that he had witnessed something he thought he never would.

“I always figured there would be an African-American or a woman one day (as) president,” he said, “but I didn’t think I’d ever live to see it. It just lets you know if you live long enough, you’re liable to see anything.”

Pastor Tina Wood of House of Praise said she thanked God for these two men, but for reasons other than the obvious.

“We’re all looking for miracles from the man (who) was elected,” she said of Obama and that King “gave his life for something he believed in.”

Both men have worked to bring people together, Wood said.

“It’s not a color thing, it’s a unity thing,” she said. “These two men could not have become great without God.”

Rev. David Baker from First Church of the Nazarene agreed during his comments that Glasgow must have “unity in our community.”

“Martin Luther King was my hero, still is,” said Rev. Dean Meadows of First United Methodist Church.

He told the story of growing up in Hazard in the 1950s where his father worked in a coal mine and not understanding when a man of a different color was invited to his home. He said his father told him “Son, the Good Lord made him the same way he made us.”

Meadows said we all struggle against prejudice and it is something we must strive to overcome for the good of all.

“I was in seminary when MLK made the ‘I have a dream’ speech,” he said. “I cried like a baby. I was in my last year of seminary when I heard (someone) had killed my hero.”

He gave the challenge to all of the ministers to lead by example by talking the talk and walking the walk.

“Let’s walk in Martin’s shoes and his footsteps,” he encouraged.

Mayor Darrell Pickett led the group in a prayer for leadership. He said everyone needs to pray for all their leaders every day to have wisdom, knowledge and understanding that “it is the people who put us in these offices.”

“A new president will be inaugurated on Tuesday,” he said. “ He has a great responsibility that will be laid upon his shoulders.”