Northside Friends Meeting is a Quaker Meeting located in the Uptown Neighborhood of
Chicago, Illinois. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and Illinois quarantine we have continued
to worship and share fellowship over video from our homes and have drawn comfort and
strength from this continuing connection to our community.
At a recent check-in video call, we shared how we felt affected by the pandemic – we spoke of
feeling sorrow, frustration, fear, guilt, and despair. Although these feelings were painful, we felt
lifted at being able to be together in our sorrow.
We know this crisis is far from over. We will experience more frustration and fear and guilt and
despair and terrible, terrible loss. But we know too that sorrow shared is sorrow halved and it
serves none of us to carry our burdens alone.
There has been no call from the US government for a Day of Mourning to acknowledge the grief
and loss caused by the pandemic thus far. As people of faith, it falls to us.
Our testimony of integrity compels us to speak truth – we will not deny our grief nor refuse to
acknowledge our loss. Our testimony of equality compels us to see the privilege enjoyed by
those whom the pandemic has touched lightly and witness the pain of those whom the
pandemic has wounded deeply. Our testimony of community compels us to come together – as
Quakers, Chicagoans, Americans, humans, and children of the Earth.
We invite all people to hold Memorial Day, Monday May 25, 2020, as a Day of Mourning. We
invite you to take time and to share your burdens with your loved ones and the communities
from which you draw comfort and strength. We too will be worshiping together on that day
and gather with you in spirit.
We also invite you to join with us in a visible action. At sundown wherever you live, light a
candle and step outside and hold a moment of silence for what we have lost together.