Congregants of the former Crystal Cathedral and Christ Cathedral Will Join Together to Honor Veterans and Our Fallen Heroes with an Ecumenical Celebration
Garden Grove, calif., (April 28, 2016) – The Very Reverend Christopher Smith, Rector and Episcopal Vicar of the Christ Cathedral, and Pastor Jim Kok of Shepherd’s Grove will lead worshipers in an annual joint Memorial Day prayer service. This ecumenical event will honor our fallen heroes, offer prayers for the faithful departed, and continue the important and collaborative relationship between Christ Cathedral and Shepherd’s Grove.
Event Details
- What: Annual joint Memorial Day Prayer Service and Observance
- When: Monday, May 30th
- Schedule:
- 11:00 a.m. – Ecumenical prayer service in the Arboretum on the Christ Cathedral campus.
- 12:00 p.m. – Solemn observance in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery, located on the campus.
“We are truly blessed as a community of faith to celebrate the contributions of veterans and those who have been welcomed by our Lord into eternal life. It is an honor to join with Pastor Jim Kok and the Shepherd’s Grove community in this unique observance and celebration. We are in many ways one community who share a common journey of faith,” said Fr. Smith.
Schedule of Observances
The Memorial Day observance will begin with an ecumenical celebration in the Arboretum, complete with music and prayers honoring the service of our veterans and the sacrifices made by them and their families.
Following the service, congregants will follow bagpipes, a color guard, and a cross as they process to the Cathedral Memorial Gardens for a solemn observance.
A 21-gun salute and a dove release will honor fallen veterans as part of the observance within the cemetery.
“Many of those interred in the Cathedral Memorial Gardens, veterans and loved ones alike, were members of our community of faith. We are blessed to honor their memory and pray for their families together with the Christ Cathedral community. These important joint celebrations are helping our communities to grow in faith together,” said Pastor Kok.