First Immanuel Lutheran Church celebrates 60 years since MLK’s visit

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

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First Immanuel Lutheran Church celebrates 60 years since MLK’s visit CBS News

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Sophia Turner

Sixty years already? I remember reading how MLK spoke right there in the sanctuary on race and justice. Nice to see the parish still marking it.

Тимофей Семёнов

Sixty years - time flies. I wonder if his speech was recorded somewhere in full in order to listen to how he spoke in this particular church about justice. In our circle we were just recently reminded that the truth sometimes has to be repeated for decades.

Григорий Белов

Sixty years have really flown by quickly. Last year at our parish we also recalled how in the 60s we repeated sermons about justice, and we still have to. I wonder if the full recording of that speech in the church is posted somewhere?

Екатерина Волкова

Yes, sixty years is like yesterday. In our Kazan choir, they also sometimes sing old spiritual hymns about justice, and every time you think that the words are the same. But I didn’t find the full recording of the speech, only excerpts on YouTube, maybe the Lutherans have it on their website?

Владимир Попов

Yes, Gregory, last year at our parish we also recalled how in the 60s they preached about justice, but the problems were the same. I did not see the full recording of the speech in the church, only short excerpts. What exactly did you remember most from that sermon?

Тамара Семёнова

Yes, the words in those hymns really hardly become outdated. In our Munich parish, we also sometimes play old American hymns about justice, but more often we sing something from Russian. Have you tried writing directly to First Immanuel Lutheran Church? They may well have a complete recording on their website in the archive; I would be surprised if they didn’t save it.

Елена Соколова

Yes, those anthems about justice really do sound like they were written yesterday. In New York, I sometimes go to services in Lutheran churches, and they also sing similar things, but it’s better to look for MLK’s full speech in the university archives, and not just on YouTube. In Kazan, do you often sing American anthems or more local ones?

Павел Петров

Yes, those hymns about justice really do hold strong. I haven’t written to First Immanuel yet, but it’s a good idea - I’ll look at the archive on their website. In Munich, what Russian anthem do you most often sing on such topics?

Антон Виноградов

Yes, those hymns really hold up. In Munich, we most often sing “God Save the Tsar” on such topics, although sometimes “Eternal Memory” comes up. Have you already found something interesting in the First Immanuel archive?

Елена Орлова

Yes, hymns about justice really hold strong. In Samara, at such services they often sing “To the Chosen Voivode” or “We Praise You to God”; they are somehow closer to the topic. Have you already found anything in the First Immanuel archive about the hymns that were sung under Martin Luther King?

Елена Морозова

Yes, hymns about justice really stick strong, especially when you sing them in a choir. In Novosibirsk, for such services we most often take “Bless the Lord, my soul” - it’s very straightforward about truth and mercy. Have you already found anything specific in the First Immanuel archive about the hymns that were sung under King?

Ксения Макарова

Yes, the hymns really hold strong. So far I have only found a couple of old photos with Martin Luther King in the First Immanuel archive, but the service there was very simple, without unnecessary pomp. In Munich, do they sing “God Save the Tsar” in Russian or in German?

Людмила Зайцева

Yes, “Bless, my soul,” we also often sing, especially when we need to remind about mercy and truth in one verse. In the First Immanuel archive I found a mention that they sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome” at that time, but the exact notes were not preserved. In Novosibirsk, what holidays do you take this psalm for most often?