AIDS remembrance tradition continues

On Friday, Dec. 10, St. John's Episcopal Church in Royal Oak will host the 20th annual liturgical celebration for People Who Care About People with AIDS at 7 p.m. The main celebrant of the service, which was founded by the Reverend Rod Reinhardt, will be the Rt. Reverend H. Coleman McGehee, Jr.
This year's preacher will be the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the openly-gay bishop of New Hampshire whose elevation has caused a worldwide controversy in the Anglican Communion, of which the U.S. Episcopal Church is a part.
"We've had other speakers who are gay or lesbian, but none who are so well known and so maligned as he, and Pastor Northcraft and I are just honored to be doing this together," said Harry Cook, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Clawson, which along with St. John's is sponsoring the event.
"It's a liturgy, with all kinds of people participating. It's always a joyous, joyous event, made more joyous by the presence of Bishop Robinson," he continued.
Reverend Reinhardt has taken a parish position in Chicago, Reverend Cook explained, so "some of us who worked with him over the years picked up the slack" to continue the traditional event.