Homeless in Hollywood, Homeless on Our Street
In Memory of Rosemary Gecse, April 9, 1939 - February 17, 2009
“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, `I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, `Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’” — Luke 9:57–58
It is unsettling to think of the Lord Jesus as homeless, and yet that is how he is characterized in the Gospels, because throughout his entire ministry he not only was an itinerant preacher and healer, he depended on the kindness of others who welcomed him into their homes. (In Galilee, he was the guest of an unknown person or family. In Judea, he presumably stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. It was probably from their home that he move with determination and triumph toward Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday morning.) The Nicene Creed states in formal terms what we already know: Jesus is “true God and true man.” We know that Jesus completely shared our humanity, and in many ways which sadden us and appeal to our conscience. As an infant, when Joseph and Mary fled from King Herod, Jesus and his family became “political refugees” in Egypt for a time (some might say “illegal immigrants”!) Jesus wept. Jesus agonized over the suffering he would face. Jesus was betrayed and denied. He bled. He died. These are very human experiences! Rosemary's cross, made of palm fronds and purple statice for our Palm Sunday observance three years ago. 
But perhaps most jarring of all is this passage above, telling us that Jesus was homeless! Who among us would not find some way to take Jesus in, to get him off the streets, if we met him in Los Angeles today? It calls to mind Isaiah’s prophetic utterance of God’s voice, which tugs at our hearts during this season of Lent:
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and to bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” — Isaiah 58:6–7
In memoriam. The “problem” of homelessness is always with us in these times. So many in our society wishes “the problem” would just go away! But our homeless neighbors are still human beings, created in God’s image, and still our neighbors. Our neighbor and friend Rosemary Gecse succumbed to breast cancer on February 17 at Queen of Angels/Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. I led a memorial service for her in the Sanctuary on March 21, and was well attended by members, friends and neighbors. Roger Hardesty of the Hollywood Wind Ensemble and Ron Price put together a musical program of organ, piano and trumpet trios; and two neighbors on New Hampshire, Chris van Booven and Katie Marciano also performed a duet he wrote in her memory (see their song below). A candle burned day and night in her memory for 40 days in our Sanctuary.
Rosemary is survived by her companion of nearly 20 years, Matthew Greist; and by cousins in the Midwest. She was nearly 70, at the time of her death, and still homeless, as is Matthew. Over the years, our community has done a lot to feed, clothe and help these two special people, who have lived on Berendo or on New Hampshire since the 1980s.
Now we face a different “problem”, and an opportunity. I have learned that it probably cost as much as $400.00 to pay for the cremation of Rosemary’s body, which is presently stored at the County morgue, and to gain the legal release of her remains. (It would be considerably more for the body to be interred in a cemetery.) But we would also like to help Matthew Greist start his life anew, off the streets, by helping him find temporary shelter and then long-term housing and employment.
Right now, we are in the process of determining what will happen to her remains. Several neighbors have begun pooling small contributions of cash to help pay for her proper burial and to help Matthew out. If you would like to contribute to this cause, as one of Rosemary’s neighbors, please speak to me soon.
In situations as these, our faith and discipleship are being tested, to see if we can truly follow Christ wherever he goes, wherever he leads. We are at the threshold of Holy Week, the one week of the year in which Christians are most keenly sensitive to the humanity of Jesus, and to the power of God to change our world. Please join me in prayer for Matthew, and in doing anything we can as a community to honor Rosemary and help Matthew get a fresh start. It would be our most fitting celebration of the Resurrection.
~ Pastor Dan Hooper
Almost April by Chris van Booven (written in memory of Rosemary Gecse)
Seasons here change firm but this year
Winter came too soon.
Decades past in a turn of the glass —
Now seconds barely move.
A sanctuary of candor and
A warmth I’ve never known,
She comforts one like the dew of the ocean
Glistens soft and true for us all.
It’s not contempt for the street
Or the rain on my skin,
Nor is it pity I seek
For the loss of my friend;
I know that every book
Has a start and an (must) end.
No, you know that the worst of it
Is not knowing why I should be
completely (so unjustly) denied
The recognition of the measure of my love.
Silence has become the voice of
Everything you were
Decades past in a flash but alas,
Now seconds scarcely stir.
A sanctuary of light and hope to
Remind us we’re not alone
Rosemary, the gift of your life
Has and will always be wonderful.
Chorus
If all that you want is this,
I will try.
But you must know that if I fall short,
I’m still trying.
If all that you want is this,
I will try.
I will promise you this, my friend:
I will try.
What can I do about homelessness?
Hollywood Lutheran Church feeds the hungry by distributing groceries on Tuesdays, for those who have access to a kitchen, but we also provide a hot meal to those who come to the door.
We also encourage those growing vegetables in our Community Garden to share a portion of their produce through our Community Food Pantry. And each Christmas, we give gifts to the residents of the Jeff Griffith Youth Center's residential program, which helps 24 youth to get off the streets, learn life skills, find jobs and get a fresh start.
You can become involved, either through Hollywood Lutheran Church or through one of several agencies in the Hollywood area. Your contributions to us, or through us, are welcome. Here are some links about homelessness:
People Assisting the Homeless (P.A.T.H.):
Project Y!MBY (which stands for Yes! In My Backyard) is mobilizing neighborhoods with targeted outreach to provide immediate housing and services for the homeless population of Hollywood and West Hollywood. The 3rd Annual Hollywood event will be launched Thursday, June 26th (7 a.m.- 1 p.m.) at the Music Box Fonda Theatre located at 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA, 90028. Like a social service “expo”, YIMBY Connect Day will gather over 60 local public and private service providers and over 300 volunteers for one day of intensive outreach and engagement services. People who are homeless will find everything from haircuts and foot care to medical examinations, counseling and housing services from across the greater Hollywood area. | |
LA's Homeless Blog: This winter in the LA county, there was an estimated doubling in numbers of homeless families seeking emergency shelter compared to the previous year's numbers.
Although it is clear that the economic recession has caused a dramatic increase in the number of homeless people, it seems more apparent that it is hitting families harder than it is individuals. The number of homeless families seeking emergency shelter during the winter this year almost doubled since last year; however, the number of homeless individuals only increased by 4%.
End Homelessness: Talk is Cheap, Human Connections Are Real. Sixteen years ago, Mark Horvath was homeless on the streets of Hollywood. Today, he works in marketing/communications and is an activist for the homeless.
Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness. The Los Angeles Congressional Hearing on Public and Affordable Housing was scheduled for March 28, 2009. We are awiting news as to what happened.
