DisGrace 03 - Too Many Names
There was much of today that was simply shattering. In worship this morning, we heard the mournful, sobbing cries of an African-American woman as the stories of slavery, brutality, and oppression were recounted. This wasn't just a few tears shed, but the sound of one whose heart has been shattered time and time again. Then came tonight - a service of lament as we heard the words of lament in Scripture and joined our hearts and voices with those whose voices have been silenced or are not heard today. As we closed the time, the banners with the names of too many whose lives have been unjustly cut short were lowered and carried to the front and laid on the communion table in the front. It just seemed like the banners just kept coming and those bringing them forward seemed to struggle to find the place to lay their banners as they kept coming and coming.
Finally, they were all before us and we could see the names, notably at the front those of Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland. The grief in the room was palpable, cries were heard, faces buried in the shoulders of sisters and brothers around them.
My immediate inclination was "take a picture of the front." But then I realized that I had left my camera in my room. But as I sat there, I reflected upon how what I needed to do was see that scene not through the lens of a camera but the lens of my eyes and my heart and my soul. So I started sketching. I wanted to capture the scene - the names that were on the table, the cross behind, the Christ candle that had been extinguished, and the baptismal font that stood to the side. From where I sat I couldn't read many of the names beyond Trayvon's and Sandra's and so I felt it necessary to fill those spaces in as you can see in the image.
Too Many...
How Long...
Hear our Prayer...
A photo taken later in the evening...