Riverside Church Honors Martin Luther King, Some Speakers Use Occasion to Call Out ICE

On the Sunday before Martin Luther King Day 2026, worshippers and community members gathered at the historic Riverside Church to honor King’s legacy at the very pulpit where he delivered his landmark “Beyond Vietnam” speech nearly six decades ago.

Governor Kathy Hochul, one of the many speakers, called on New Yorkers to fight for justice in the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., warning that civil liberties remain under threat from immigration enforcement in the city.

From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Riverside, in partnership with the Episcopal Divinity School, hosted MLK NOW 2026, a full-day observance blending worship, reflection, and political urgency.

The morning service featured Rev. Adrienne Thorne, senior minister of Riverside Church, and guest Rev. Dr. Rashad Raymond Moore, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, who delivered the opening sermon.

“Worship always points toward God, but this Sunday we’re looking at God through the lens of Dr. King and his work as a Christian minister committed to love and justice,” the Rev. Thorne said.

“This morning’s sermon really dealt with thinking about what it means for us to carry on the sound of his work. His voice continues to reverberate, and now it’s our turn to become the voice,” Pastor Moore said. “Whether that’s advocating for nurses, affordable housing, or justice in a city where so many are struggling, there are all these places around us that need voices.”

Much of the day’s programming connected King’s teachings to issues pressing New Yorkers today, including ongoing nursing strikes, income and wellness insecurity, and heightened concerns over immigration enforcement. Those tensions intensified following the Jan. 7, 2026, fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, which sparked national protests and renewed debate over civil liberties and federal authority, particularly within immigrant communities.

Attendees later gathered for a Christian brunch in Riverside’s South Hall.

It was there that Governor Hochul made a surprise appearance, greeting attendees and reiterating her call for justice and the protection of civil rights.

“I’m happy to lead the fight, because this moment in history calls upon all of us . . . to say, ‘We’re not taking this anymore. We’re going to stand up and demand respect,’ ” Hochul said.

Rev. Thorne told Straus News that Hochul, at her own request, wanted to make a brief public appearance during MLK NOW 2026.

“The governor wanted to be in community with folks doing this work because she sees herself as a leader who cares about people that have been forgotten. She wanted to honor Dr. King’s legacy in a meaningful, active way,” the Rev. Thorne said.

Hochul said King’s legacy remains a guiding framework for confronting modern political and moral challenges.

“I want people to remember that Riverside Church is a place of great history. It’s where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came and spoke during the Vietnam War—a time when families were being separated and the country was deeply divided,” Hochul told Straus News. “Dr. King spoke about coming together and our responsibility to fight for those whose rights were being trampled—not just at home, but overseas. That lesson guides me today as I take on challenges like affordability and supporting struggling families, while also standing up and saying we will not be subjugated to a king who thinks he can trample our rights the way they tried to do 250 years ago.”

For the governor, ICE raids in churches and schools—in a city long considered a sanctuary—represent a breach of legal and moral boundaries.

“When agents think they can walk into a church and separate churchgoers from their families, or go into a school, a hospital, or a daycare center, we are saying, ‘If you think you’re going to do that in the state of New York, you better have a warrant signed by a judge,’ ” Hochul said. “If you cross the line and violate the Constitutional rights of anyone in New York while acting outside the law, our residents should have a right of action against you in court. We are not backing down when our rights are under attack.”

Hochul framed her remarks not only as a warning to federal authorities, but as a call for collective resolve:

“I will continue to harness, embrace, and internalize the message of Dr. King—because he never surrendered. He fought to the very end. And that is what New Yorkers in 2026 are morally obligated to do.”.