A year after the start of the pandemic shutdown, millions of Americans remain unable to gather in the usual ways to honor family and friends who have died.
One Yardley church plans to bring people together – safely – to remember those who have died with a Memorial of Light.
“The death and illness of the past year have been difficult for everyone,” said the Rev. Canon Hilary Greer, rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Yardley,
“And the 500,000 lives lost to COVID are just a fraction of those who have died this past year. The inability to gather for strength and comfort has been particularly hard for people whose loved ones have died of any cause this past year.”
Located on Lake Afton, at 54 W. Afton Ave., and surrounded by a parking lot and graveyard, St. Andrew’s will turn the church building itself into a memorial at the start of its Easter Vigil at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 3. All community members are invited to submit the photos and names of loved ones who have died of any cause since the start of the pandemic.
In the evening darkness, the photos will be projected on the side of the church in a Memorial of Light to honor those who have died. Flautist Meredith Twardowski will provide live music to accompany the projection.
“We have plenty of room for people to safely gather in their cars or standing outside,” said Rector’s Warden Kathy Royal. “We want to give the entire community an opportunity to be together safely and remember those we love, as well as to share hope in the life to come.”
Community members near and far can also view the projection online through the church’s Facebook page or through Zoom, accessed from the church’s website: standrews-yardley.org.
To have a loved one remembered, email one photo along with their name to the church’s parish administrator at: john@standrews-yardley.org by March 26.
Community members are invited to attend just the Memorial of Light, or to join the church online for the remainder of the Easter Vigil. The following morning, at 9 a.m. Easter Sunday, the church will hold its first in-person worship service since the start of the pandemic with worshipers safely distanced outdoors in the church graveyard, or having the option to attend online.
“Our community has deepened and grown so much as we’ve gone through this past year together,” said Greer. The church has contributed more than 25,000 meals to Caring for Friends during the pandemic, and raised thousands of dollars for the Penndel Food Pantry through an online staging of “King Lear” starring Stacy Keach.
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