Valley pastor speaks at celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Pastor Dennis Stitch was the guest speaker at the event hosted by the NAACP in Washington, Pa.

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached that powerful phrase, which was emphasized Sunday by Pastor Dennis Stitch during a celebration of the civil rights leaders’ life at John Wesley United Methodist Church in Washington, Pa.

The Men of Friendship at Friendship Baptist Church in Washington sing to the congregation at a ceremony Sunday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sarah Pellis / MVI

Stitch, pastor of First Christian Church in Charleroi, delivered the keynote address at the NAACP Washington’s Martin Luther King Jr. annual celebration.

A Baptist minister, King Jr. delivered his nonviolent message of racial justice until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Pastor Lori Walters of John Wesley United Methodist Church said the event was a way for people to gather regardless of denomination, praise the Lord together and to honor an “incredible man.”

Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi speaks at the event. Sarah Pellis / MVI

“It’s his example to be our example for the world,” Walters said. “He followed the ways of Christ. His way of living, leading our nation, it was all under the example of Jesus Christ.”

Several songs were sung during Sunday’s ceremony, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black National Anthem, along with “I Feel Like Going On,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “This Little Light of Mine” and “Something About the Name Jesus” from the Men of Friendship at Friendship Baptist Church in Washington.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963.

Washington NAACP Secretary Ardella Bryant introduced the master of ceremonies, Dr. Andrew Goudy, who is also the first vice president at the NAACP, Pennsylvania State Conference.

Goudy received a masters in science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, followed by receiving his doctorate in physical chemistry from The University of Pittsburgh.

He has received a Black Achievers Award at a Delaware YMCA, served as past president of the Rotary Club in Washington, president of the senior action committee and several other accolades.

Goudy then introduced Washington Mayor Jojo Burgess, who was elected as the city’s first Black mayor in 2023.

Burgess said King’s legacy and memory should continue to be celebrated.

“We’ve got to stay diligent and stay aggressive by making sure that we do not forget history, that we do not forget the people that have come here before us that have laid a path so that I could become that first Black mayor in Washington,” Burgess said. “If Dr. King had not done what he did back in the 60s, before I was even thought of, I wouldn’t be here.”

Washington County commissioner Larry Maggi said it was an honor to be in attendance, and to continue to remember King’s dream.

Washington High School students Cinniyah Lee and Ja’zel King read scripture excerpts, while Eliza Boyd read the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written by King.

Rev. Nicole Darby of Truly Praise Ministries in Washington also gave the offertory prayer along with the benediction at the end of the ceremony.

‘But you gotta stick with it’

Washington NAACP First Vice President Robert Griffin introduced Stitch, who Griffin has known for 30 years.

Born in Lock View, Stitch is a graduate of Charleroi Area High School, where he was an outstanding student athlete and excelled in baseball, basketball, football and track. He then enrolled in Penn State McKeesport to play baseball, and after one year, was named All-Conference as a center fielder.

Stitch then had many Division 1 offers, but decided on the University of Pittsburgh to be near home, where he was a four-year starter at center field – finishing with a .348 career batting average. At Pitt, he was a three time academic All-American.

Following his college career, Stitch tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Seattle Mariners, but was contracted to the minor leagues. He played for the Butte Copper Kings in Montana, and a minor league for the Boston Red Sox.

“The enemy will try to discourage you, but you gotta stick with it,” Stitch said. “We know that God gives us all gifts, and what we do with those gifts is our gift back to him. None of us can really be full of ourselves. We must be humble as God’s servants, and always look to serve others.”

Stitch was one of the youngest members of the Charleroi Area School Board, serving from 1989 to 1999. He received a baseball award and a scholarship named after him at Charleroi in 1993, and in 2010, he was honored at Pitt’s varsity letter club’s 50th annual awards distinction dinner.

A founding member of the Black Caucus for the 20th Congressional district, he brought L. Douglas Wilder, Virginia’s first Black governor, to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Monessen in April of 1996.

A Sanofi business manager who received the Circle of Excellence Award in 2024 as one of the top sales representatives in the country, Stitch has also been named the citizen of the year by the Boy Scouts of America, has served on the board of directors of his local YMCA for 35 years.

Involved in the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame since 1998, and was inducted in 2025, Stitch also currently serves as the general chairman of the organization.

He is also an assistant football and baseball coach at Serra Catholic High School, and has a black belt in Tai Kwan Do,. Stitch also serves on the Washington County Housing Authority and on the board of directors of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi.

Stitch accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 6 at Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Lock View, and was ordained at the Youghiogheny Western Baptist ministers conference on April 7, 2019. Married to his beloved Valerie for 25 years, Stitch is a proud father of five and grandfather of nine.

During his presentation, Stitch said the Bible was written by 40 different authors on three different continents, but it all became one — just like King Jr. stood for. He also read three scriptures.

“When we are looking at this day, and we know what Martin Luther King stood for, and all the things that he went through to have this day, he stood for the things we all believe in,” Stitch said. “What you stand for, what you all fight for every day. It’s not just us. It’s justice.”

Stitch encouraged audience members to stand up for what they believe in like King Jr. did. He said King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream,” speech came from scripture, and encouraged the congregation to keep moving forward with Jesus as an anchor and to stand up for what is right.

“What is the blueprint that you and I can walk through this life? One is that your life is worthy. If no one else thinks your life is worthy, you got to think your life is worthy. I remember Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘If you gonna be a shoe shiner, be the best shoe shiner you can be.’

“When you’re out here in this world, and you are going through so many challenges, someone will try to make you think that your life is not worthy, but I’m telling you it is,” he added. “Your life has value. My life has value because God says it is. I am valuable to the kingdom. My life is significant. Just know that your life is valuable, don’t let anybody put you down.”