Oklahoma City memorial service recognizes lives of community 'neighbors' lost in 2022
People in the pews sat briefly in silence after 67 candles were lit on the altar of an Oklahoma City church.
The poignant symbols of a heartbreaking reality played an important role at the OKC Homeless Persons Memorial Service on Saturday at Eighth Street Church of the Nazarene, 701 NW 8.
Each candle represented one of the 67 people — someone's son, daughter, spouse, brother, sister, pal or neighbor — who died while experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City in 2022.
"These people are my friends," said Raymond Peterson with City Rescue Mission. "I'm here today because it's a pleasure for me to be able to honor them."
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Sherry Alexander, an organizer of the annual service, said she was touched by the turnout for the event. About 100 people attended the service to sing, listen to scripture and remember their loved ones as their names were read aloud by staff members from various organizations who work with the homeless.
In addition to City Rescue Mission, the groups represented included the Homeless Alliance, Catholic Charities/Catholic Social Ministries, Joe's Addiction, City Care, Ignatian Spirituality Project and The Education and Employment Ministry known as TEEM. The Rev. Chris Pollock, lead pastor of Eighth Street Church, gave a brief spiritual message.
"By being here today, you are being an example of what we want our world to be," Alexander told those gathered.
The Ignatius Spirituality Project is a nationwide faith-based organization that works with people transitioning from homelessness and recovering from addiction. The Homeless Persons Memorial Service gatherings are typically held in conjunction with National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day on Dec. 21, the winter solstice — the longest night of the year. However, the Oklahoma City memorial has been moved to January in recent years. Alexander said the names of the individuals who died in Oklahoma City were also included in the National Homeless Persons Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Fifty-five people were honored at last year's event. A spokesperson for the Homeless Alliance said some of the people who were included on the 2022 list had transitioned out of homelessness and may not have passed away while lacking shelter. Still, several members of the crowd on Saturday said the increase in the homeless "neighbors" who died in the Oklahoma City community was startling, as compared to previous years.
Alexander said she realized the list of names had steadily grown throughout 2022 and she wasn't sure why. She said some individuals might have died as a result of being on the streets during extremely cold weather, although there were likely many other factors.
Charla Collins said she was sad when she saw all of the symbolic candles.
"I don't know how to grieve that big of a loss, I don't think any of us do," she said. "It's overwhelming."
Roger Hull, a chapter elder for Bikers for Christ-OKC, said he attended the service to honor a woman named Delores whom his group had been helping as she transitioned from homelessness to a home.
He said the service was another way to shed light on the problem of homelessness and he hoped that people would be reminded not to judge the people they see out on the streets.
"Let's not forget the homeless," Hull said. "It's important to know why they are homeless instead of judging them. We need to look at what's going on in their lives and what we can do to help them."
At the end of the service, Alexander encouraged the crowd to take a pastel rose or yellow daisy from a large wreath near the altar.
"If you are grieving today, take a flower with you as a comfort, as a token and as a reminder that we are all in this together," she said.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Remembering people who died while experiencing homelessness in OKC
