On Thursday December 21st, a small group of San Franciscans gathered in the rain to pay their respects to those persons who died homeless in their city during the past year and to re-dedicate themselves toward the goal of ending poverty and homelessness everywhere.

The simple ceremony took place in front of City Hall as it has 18 previous years and was organized by the San Francisco Network Ministries (an interfaith group) and the Coalition for the Homeless. Representatives from the Tom Waddell Clinic (which documents homeless casualties), Unite Here (the union organization), and local charitable organizations were also present. A small number of other concerned citizens joined in.

In the shadows cast by a huge Christmas tree, participants circled together in the cold and drizzle holding candles and umbrellas. They joined in prayer, song, and reverence when the long list of names were solemnly read to the tolling of a bell. Estelle Mays of St. John's Presbyterian Church and Reverend Glenda Hope of San Francisco Network Ministries invoked the ceremony by noting that poverty and homelessness need not exist in our world of plenty. Sharing the reading of names of homeless persons who died in 2006 were: Hani, of the Islamic Society; John Fitzgerald of the St. Anthony Foundation; Buddhist Monks from the San Francisco Zen Center; Debra Salan from the Congregation Beth Sholom; M. Macha Nightmare, a pagan spiritualist; and a representative of the Tom Waddell Clinic. Reverend Hope asked for names of others not yet known, and several participants in the gathering added names of people they knew who were homeless when they died. The ceremony ended by burning the list of names and calling for a recommitment to work for justice, compassion, healing and peace.

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