Commemoration Service for people who have been homeless who've died

There was standing room only at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, for this year's annual Service of Commemoration for people who have been homeless, who have died in London in the past year, on Thursday, 13 November. This year's theme was 'Refuge' and words of Jesus in Matthew 11:18 - 'Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'

In this moving service, the names of 150 people were read out - another 58 unnamed people who died were also remembered. The congregation included friends and relatives of the deceased as well staff and volunteers of the various homeless charities.

Organised by St Martin in the Fields, The Connection at St Martin's, Housing Justice and the Museum of Homelessness, the service began with John Bell's 'Take me, take me as I am' led by the music group with John Deacon on Piano and Chris Bluebell on violin.

In his introduction, Rev Richard Carter pointed out the memory blanket' on the altar, made up of 1,474 squares - to remember each person who died homeless on 2023, as recorded by the Museum of Homelessness Dying Homeless Project. He said the blanket on had been assembled by The Connection at St Martin's, from squares knitted and sent in by people from across the UK. It was sewn together in Charing Cross Station, right in the heart of London's homelessness crisis, by a team of volunteers, Connection staff and people who have been homeless.

Rev Carter noted that some of the people who died came from the UK but others had come from further afield. These people were originally not homeless. They had come here with hope, looking for a home.

Rev Carter pointed out that the average age of death for a homeless person in the UK now is just 45 for men and 43 for women - compared to the national averages of 79 and 83, respectively.

After hip hop artist and poet Surfing Sofas read his powerful piece: 'Til We Meet Again' accompanied by Camilo Tirado, there was a succession of readings of the names of those have people who died.

Monica Zerbin from Haringey Council read the first group and gave a tribute to Tobiasz Cielielski. She said: "He came with hope. A man from Poland. Gentle eyes. Hands for building. With a quiet dream of life worth living. But it didn't work out. After one accident, everything was lost. There was no one to support him." He walked through cold streets, " experienced the ache of being invisible." He accepted help with grace. Was never demanding. Never despairing. He dreamed of working again... Tried so hard.. But It wasn't to be. "We will never forget you," she said.

Lily Stannard from the Connection read the second group of names before a giving a brief tribute to Kelly Jones. "Although we only knew you for a few months we will never forget your unique energy" Kelly had several health problems and had been sleeping rough. Lily said that in spite of her many problems but she always showed empathy to others.

The third set of names was read by Duncan Shrubsole from St Martin's Charity, with a tribute to Viki Fox. The final set of names was read by Caroline Allouf from Showerbox with a tribute to Rachel Kirby.

First reading was Psalm 23: The Lord in my Shepherd - read by Housing Justice. Pam Orchard from the Connection read the second reading - the theme of the service: Matthew 11 : 28-29: 'Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens...

Rev Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James Piccadilly opened her reflection on this reading by speaking about two items she always in her pockets - a carved cross given to here 30 years ago when she was ordained. "I sometimes hold on to it when things are difficult and I know that Jesus is with me" she said. The second item was a small stone. "Sometimes I imagine its the stone that was rolled against the tomb when Jesus died" she said ... the crucifixion and the resurrection,. But this isn't any stone - its from the Syrian city of Alleppo which had been destroyed during the war."

Rev Winkett said, half of the city of Aleppo has been destroyed and its the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Many Christians gather there in its churches. "But this is a stone from the rubble where many people have died.

"Its such a privilege to be here this morning and so we welcome one another and we remember all the remarkable people whose stories we've heard this morning but you know to be honest - don't you wish that we didn't need this service?"

"Do we not wish that this church didn't have to be full of people remembering people who have died, who have experienced homelessness?"

Rev Winkett noted that people present had such mixed feelings - on the one hand commemorating the wonderful qualities of hte the people who died but then also grieving their loss. "And so its a mixture this service of thankfulness and grief of joy and rage that this service is even necessary."

She ended by reading the poem: The Heavy Stone, by Averil Stedeford.

My grief was a heavy stone, rough and sharp.
Grasping to pick it up my hands were cut.
Afraid to let it go I carried it.
While I had my grief you were not lost.

The rain of my tears smoothed it.
The wind of my rage weathered it,
making it round and small.

The cuts in my hands have healed.
Now in my palm it rests,
sometimes almost beautiful,
sometimes almost you.

The congregation then took part in the Act of Remembrance, each person coming up one by one silently to receive a card, with an illustration by Kollier Din-Bangura, with the name of a person who died homeless in the last year. We were asked to keep that card and remember that person in our thoughts and prayers all year. As we filed up, Gavin Bryers and the Choir With No Name and Streetwise Opera sang the anthem 'Jesus' blood never failed me yet.'

We settled back in our places to the Choir with no Name singing 'Way Over Yonder' by Carole King.

Streetwise Opera sang Ombra Mai Fu from Xerxes. Rev Richard Carter led the final prayers before our last hymn was Guide Me Oh Thy Great Redeemer.

All present were invited to lunch and refreshments in the St Martin's Crypt.

St Martin in the Fields is one of the most famous churches in London. Besides regular services, it has a wonderful programme of concerts, a Crypt Cafe, gift shop and lecture series. At its day centre, The Connection at St Martins, it offers advice and support for people who are rough sleeping, connecting each person with skilled staff who understand the complexity of their situation and who listen, then help. See: www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/

Watch a recording of the service here: https://fb.watch/DpKHbzMYxA/

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