The Occasion for Remembering Homeless People who have died came from an idea by one person in St Peter’s taken up by the Care for our Common Home group formed of people from both churches.
This is the first time I have seen an idea, a thought become an actual living event. This, done through brief meetings, emails and phone calls and I believe, Twitter and Facebook. It all seemed so tenuous. Bishop Tony agreed to come, then it was on local radio and talk of TV. The one person available to help became unavoidably, unavailable. More frantic phone calls and emails and a few promises. It seemed inevitable that in the morning Christopher didn’t appear as he was too ill. I visioned me and Bishop Tony echoing around All Saints’. Norman said to pray about it. No Norman, I’ve got to do something!!!
But it all happened. People appeared to prepare the promised refreshments. Faces appeared before me. I pointed and flapped around and they made sense of it. Amelia and Fiona smiled and nodded and worked. Help came too from Emmanuel House as they greeted and handed out the order of service. Again, the spirit arrived with the people.
I cannot cover the actual service – I don’t have the words. I hope though that it might have spawned an idea, a thought in maybe one person.
Lorraine Smedley