January 1, 2006

Jeanie Wylie crossed over to the other side at home, 4pm on New Year's Eve. Thanks be and Alleluia. Her sweet body lies now washed and anointed by the holy women of our community, dressed in clothes picked by Lucy with help from her sister, laid out in a coffin built by Franciscan/Worker friends in Milwaukee, and blanketed in the hospice quilt from the LA Worker under which she died. In her passing she has taught us all a number of new community practices - things we are reclaiming, relearning, reinventing, rediscovering. And only she could have orchestrated the countless providences of the day.

She had a labored day of breathing, but late afternoon eased. Her passing was, in the end, easy and full of grace.

We are hosting a wake tomorrow (1/1) at the house (4689 Larkins) from 2pm til 10pm. The afternoon will be open and unstructured. In the evening there will be a prayer service from 7-7:30; followed by a time of memory and reflection.

We plan a memorial service for Sunday, January 8, at 2pm - Central United Methodist Church (Woodward and Adams in Detroit).

Lydia, Lucy, and I send love and thanks.

Bill Wylie-Kellermann
Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education
200 N. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60601
312-726-1200
313-433-1967
www.scupe.com
http://www.thewitness.org/author.php?id=40
www.wordandworld.org