Rev. Dan Martin said he watched as a 6 year-old Matie Glynn, recently adopted from Ethiopia, joined in the Unity Day celebration with her native country’s flag.  He said it touched his heart as she waved the flag in the air while other children waved the 27 flags representing Newton’s population on Sunday.

That made his night, not winning the Unity Day Award, although Martin said he was honored to be recognized for his service to the community.

“There are a lot of people who are more deserving,” Martin said humbly.  “I really enjoy what I do (as a pastor).  I’m happy every day.  That’s the best part.”

Martin, who serves as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Newton, prefers to stay out of the limelight and concentrate on his work in the community.  He said he’s not one that enjoys being recognized, when so many others in the community are also responsible for the success of Unity Day.  He said what’s more important is what Unity Day is about — celebrating the diversity of the community.

“I think we’re a stronger community because we’re diverse,” he said.  “The world has come to Newton.”

He said more than 230 people came together Sunday night to celebrate the city’s diverse cultures.

“We don’t live in a community of people who were all born here,” he said.

Martin watched people of different ethnicities and backgrounds as they talked, hugged and laughed together, in unity.  He said that’s something worth celebrating.

“I really am in favor of the community being one community,” Martin said.  “I don’t think God differentiates.  For us to make our own divisions is wrong.  God sees us as one.”

He said that the tendency of people is to draw into themselves and be selfish.

“I think we’re drawn to thinking, ‘I’m better than everyone,’ whether it be through their ethnicities, their religion, where they live or how much money they make. I don’t think that’s right.  A lot of what I work for is not to be divided.”

Although Martin was on the Newton Human Relations Council, which organized Unity Day, he said his parts were pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.  He led the group in prayer and helped with rehearsal of the flag procession on Saturday.  Last year, he and his son, Parker, built the flag holder.

“I think some friends put my name in the pot for the award,” he said, noting again how many other people are more deserving of the reward than he.

The recognition he enjoys most is the recognition he gets from the kids in the community.  Martin said one of the things he is most passionate about is reading to children at local schools. He said he struggled to learn how to read, which is why reading to children is so important to him. He said the kids will come up to him and say “Thanks” and talk with him about the book or things on their mind.

“I just love that part,” he said.

Martin also serves as chaplain of the Newton-Conover High School football team.  He works with local churches to organize a meal for the athletes prior to each game.