Photograph by Mark Kuroda
The Tenderloin is a strange paradox--an impoverished neighborhood in one of the country's most expensive cities; a densely populated area full of people who often feel totally alone. It is a neighborhood that is easy to forget about or to drive through without ever stopping, without ever knowing anyone who lives there. But these 50 square blocks are also the place of some of the greatest work in our city.
Rev. Glenda Hope of San Francisco Network Ministries started the annual tradition of caroling in the Tenderloin years ago. Since she has retired, the mantle has fallen to our own Rev. Paul Trudeau, and this year we are hitting the streets of the Tenderloin at 4pm this Sunday, December 15th. We'll meet at City Hall first, for coffee and cookies and cocoa, and then spend time going around the whole neighborhood, singing Christmas carols in concert with folks from other San Francisco churches, including Reality San Francisco and Zion Lutheran.
The winter can be a particularly rough season in the Tenderloin. With darker days and colder temperatures, rooms are at a premium and people with issues of depression and anxiety tend to do worse in the winter. The holidays can exacerbate the hectic nature of life in much of the Tenderloin, so it is a great time to bring some levity to the area, to sing of the joy of the Lord. And that sense of loneliness is something most people can share, regardless of our socioeconomic background. We all have a capacity for loneliness, and the holidays, even in all their fun, can be a trying time. So we join together with our brothers and the sisters in the city to sing "Silent Night," "The First Noel," and other songs that testify to the presence of God on this earth. We go to the place of longing during the season of longing.
When we have gone before, we have seen wonderful things. People in SROs open their windows and smile at the carolers passing by. Some folks join in the singing. Minna Choi will be leading us in the caroling this year as we sing together stories of a great redeemer. And, this year, a group of guys from City Team will be joining us to carol and enjoy dinner at Showdog's on Market and Golden Gate after the caroling is done.
With all the darkness, the anxiety, and the loneliness around the holidays, caroling in the Tenderloin is a great way to restore some of the joy to this time of year. We hope you'll consider joining us.
Join Us
Sunday, December 15 | 4-6 PM | Meet across from City Hall on Civic Center Plaza