Area residents will gather to celebrate Martin Luther King Day on Monday.

The celebration will begin with a commemoration march in honor of King. The march will start at 9:15 a.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church at 1501 College St., in Newberry. The walkers will proceed to Miller Chapel A.M.E. Church on Caldwell Street.

Starting at 10 a.m. at Miller Chapel, a program will be held.

The Rev. Tony Miller, pastor of Compass Christian Church of Hephzibah, Ga. will give the keynote address.

Miller is a graduate of Dixie High School where he excelled in academics and athletics.

He then attended Augusta College on a baseball scholarship and majored in communications.

Since 1987, Miller has been employed by the City of Augusta Recreation and Parks Department and currently serves as the director of the Diamond Lakes Community Center.

In 1995, Miller was called to the ministry and was licensed in 1998 at New Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. He served as the church’s youth pastor before opening his home to host a Bible study in 2003.

The Bible study resulted in the Compass Christian Church being formed. The church’s membership has grown from 15 members to more than 130 in six years.

Miller is active in the community, coaching youth baseball, serving on an advisory board and counseling at-risk youth.

Miller and his wife, Valerie, have two children.

For those unable to make Monday’s observance, Prosperity’s Shiloh A.M.E. Church will be holding one Sunday. At noon, guest speaker Sen. Kay Patterson of Columbia will speak at the church’s Martin Luther King Day Service.