FARMINGTON – The work and words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. endorsing “service to one another on the path to the beloved community” were remembered as more than 50 residents and clergy gathered for Farmington’s annual ecumenical service Monday.

“There’s always something we can do,” the Rev. Scott Planting told participants as he recounted the needs and frustrations of people he saw waiting for heating assistance recently at a Western Maine Community Action office.

The people he saw as angry and frustrated want to work or are working five to six part-time jobs while living day-to-day and worrying about keeping their houses, he said.

Across the country, many, including President-elect Barack Obama, spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day responding to the needs of people in what has become the King Day of Service, as determined by Congress in the mid-1990s.

Responding to local need, churches have helped the Ecumenical Heating Fund raise $39,000 since July 2008 and the Care and Share Food Closet serve more than 500 families in December. A warming center was developed this month in local churches.

While providing heat, food and shelter is important, Planting also encouraged listening closely to the words and stories of people, building on their strengths and learning from their suffering.

In words read by the Rev. Richard Waddell from King’s writings from 1961, King encouraged people “to not be detached spectators but involved participants.”

“The phrases of King are often repeated … because we haven’t got it,” said the Rev. Susan Crane as she went on to ask participants, “what are you doing for others.”

An offering was taken for the Ecumenical Heating Fund, which provides emergency oil funds for people, while Crane explained that the $39,000 raised for the fund since July has nearly all been spent or obligated.

“The fund can barely keep ahead of the need … it’s been really dramatic this year,” she said.

Some participants also brought nonperishable food items to the service for the Care and Share Food Closet.

One of King’s dreams draws closer to being fulfilled as the first African-American becomes the 44th president Tuesday – the dream that people be judged by their character rather than the color of their skin – Planting said while repeating the words President-elect Barack Obama spoke Sunday during a Washington concert.

In King’s last year of life, his hope turned into words of difficult days ahead on the road to the mountain top but King just wanted to do God’s will, he said.

In welcoming participants to the service at Old South UCC, the Rev. Cathie Wallace referred to a New York Times article where a friend of King’s responded to what he thought King would think about Obama’s inauguration.

He would beam, then push up his sleeves and go back to work to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, she said the friend responded.