"Day of Remembrance" Recalls Departed Members of the Gamma Pi Family

Gamma Pi Brothers pose with families

Every year, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. honors its departed members with areawide Memorial Services. This year, the Gamma Pi Chapter took it a step further by organizing a chapter Memorial Service that paid tribute to Brothers who have entered Omega Chapter as well as family members of chapter Brothers who have gone on. The service was held on Saturday, March 22, at Mount Nebo AME Zion Church in Bowie, where Bro. Dr. Gerald Folsom serves as pastor.

More than 100 Brothers and family members turned out for the occasion. It was anything but solemn. It was uplifting, inspirational and celebratory of the lives that had been lived. The tone was set by Bro. Lt. Gen. (ret.) Rev. R. Scott Dingle, who brought a message of hope and help to the families and Brothers who are all left behind as survivors. Tears were replaced with laughter and fond memories. The focus was on recent passings from the past few years. 

Bro. Rev. Dingle delivers the Word 

With the subject "Pick Up Your Harp," Bro. Dingle encouraged the gathered to continue singing their song despite the grief from their losses, acknowledging that while grief is never-ending, it can be buttressed with the praise of "singing your song" with your harp. Bro. Rev Dingle received a Gamma Pi Scroll of Honor from the Basileus, Bro. Eric Fields.

Bro. Dingle's message obviously resonated. Many of the family members who got up to speak about their loved during the end of the program referenced his remarks and the hope and peace he gave them with The Word. The symbol of the harp was powerful.

The program included musical selections, a poem, a marking of the occasion as well as remarks from Basileus Fields and religious leaders in the chapter. Also, the families were moved when the names on the Scroll of Remembrance slowly flashed up on the screen.

Congrats to Brothers Reginald Thomas and Ronald Swann, co-chairs of the chapter's Protocol Committee, for organizing the event which was the vision of Gamma Pi Basileus Fields. 

Photos courtesy of Brothers John Robinson, Kevin Briscoe and Don Cook

MORE PHOTOS HERE

These are all members of the program team

Bro. Basileus addresses the crowd 

Bro. Rev. Dingle shows off
 Scroll of Honor

Family member  recalls memories