Because the crosses in front of Church represent homicides in Oakland year-to-date, we must respectfully remove the crosses on December 31 st so that we can begin again in January placing crosses in the Memorial for the New Year. Please come and join us in prayer for those who tragically died as the result of violence during this past year and show our support to those families who have experienced extreme grief from losing a loved one to homicide. The service is simple in structure: we gather in Church for some prayer and comments by some of those present.  We then proceed to the front garden and the name and date of death of each victim is spoken aloud as that cross is removed from the Memorial and handed to the victim’s family, if present, or to any member of the congregation.  When all of the crosses have been removed, we process back into Church and lay the crosses in front of the altar.  Family members of the deceased who have received crosses may keep them as a remembrance of their loved one.  The service ends with some concluding prayer. Please join us for this important and powerful expression of St. Columba’s compassion […]