Casper residents from all walks of life turned out to honor American civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday.

Their procession made its way through the downtown area before more than 100 people streamed into First United Methodist Church. There, Casper Mayor Steve Freel read proclamations relating to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

United Church of Christ Pastor Rev. Dee Lundberg called on those in attendance to recognize what people of all races and religions have in common with each other instead of looking at people as "the other."

"Radical awareness of sameness is what we need to heal the world," Lundberg said. "We have to find a way to recognize 'they' are 'us.'

"We must encounter the other."

Lundberg said there is still a great deal of work to be done before King's dream is fully realized. She said King's dream "continues to fade in and fade out."

"Us vs. them" cannot be found in the Bible, Lundberg added. The United Pastor noted that she values an interfaith world significantly more than she does a strictly Christian world. The best way to understand one-another, Lundberg said, is taking a few minutes to sit down with a complete stranger to discuss facets of one's faith.

"What affects one directly affects all indirectly," Lundberg said.

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