On December 12, 2025, the Justice Coalition gathered at Evangel Temple for a night that felt less like an event and more like a quiet, enduring prayer. The evening began with Santa giving toys and gifts to the children in attendance while family members and guests enjoyed light refreshments. The ceremony started with an opening prayer and thanks given by Pastor Amos Bankhead.
The annual Seasons To Remember was born from a desire to touch the deepest grief with tenderness and truth, to honor innocents lost to violence with dignity and love. The hall glowed softly, and faces weathered by sorrow stood together, joined by shared pain and resilient hope. It was a gathering of neighbors, friends, and families who carry irreplaceable losses, united by a simple aim: to remember, to mourn, and to heal.
In the hushed stillness, family members spoke softly, reminding us that memory is not a distant echo, but a living thread woven into daily life. When family members were handed the bears, carefully crafted with love by Mrs. Ellington from the clothing and personal materials chosen by the families, the moment felt both intimate and powerful. Each bear held a story: the fabric that brushed gentle skin, a favorite color echoing a now-silent laugh, a small emblem of a beloved hobby. These were not mere keepsakes; they were living memories, tangible reminders that a person’s life continues to shape and shelter those left behind.
The bears were presented with quiet ceremony, accompanied by breaths and tears. The ceremony offered presence rather than bravado or euphemism. The room became a sanctuary where grief could be spoken aloud, where sorrow could be acknowledged without apology, and where a fragile spark of hope was tended with reverent care. As each family received a bear, there was a sacred pause: a collective acknowledgment that the person they miss remains in the fabric of daily life, in kitchen-table stories, bedtime routines, and lullabies that still draw a smile through a tear.
These keepsakes are more than memorials; they are tangible acts of love that speak in a language beyond words. They carry the warmth of a beloved voice, the comfort of a familiar scent, the softness of a hand that would have stayed to hold on a difficult day. In giving these bears, the community offered solace that does not erase pain but reframes it through care, continuity, and connection. The bears bear witness to a truth often too large to hold: even after a life is taken, love persists, guiding and grounding those who remain.
Voices rose in song, spoken words, and quiet prayers. What emerged was a living chorus of remembrance. Survivors, friends, and extended families spoke with candor, naming the many shapes grief can take and the paths toward healing. There were stories of resilience: small, stubborn acts of daily courage that keep faith steady. Moments of laughter surfaced, too, carried by memories of a loved one who would have teased or teased back, whose warmth remains a guiding beacon.
The Justice Coalition’s mission shone in every gesture: careful presentation of each bear, patient listening, and the quiet generosity of volunteers who orchestrated the night with care. It reminded us that a community’s strength lies in surrounding pain with compassion, offering hands to hold, ears to listen, and hearts to understand. In this space, strangers became allies, and grief was met with a shared resolve to protect the vulnerable, to honor the fallen, and to walk forward with dignity.
As the evening closed, families and guests came together and were invited to share their thoughts, followed by a closing prayer and testimony from Pastor Bankhead.
The bears stand as guardians of memory, inviting those left behind to carry forward with courage. May these bears travel with you day by day, reminders of loved ones who meant so much. May their brightness inspire kindness, bravery, and renewed commitment to justice, healing, and hope.
Read the complete January 2026 edition of the Victims’ Advocate (PDF)