St Peter's Episcopal Church is a tiny congregation (less than 21) in an inner city part of Detroit. A service of remembrance was recently held for Ruby, a member of the congregation.

Ruby was a street woman. A bag lady.

As the minister, Bill, remembered in his homily:

Ruby and Keith were arrested in Royal Oak, essentially for being visibly homeless. She was released, but Keith was held for “resisting arrest” and outstanding warrants. This left her on her own, and more vulnerable. She was struck by a car and killed when crossing the street alone in the snow at night March 11th.

Now Ruby has shed her earthly cloak. We commend her with love and care into the arms of God. When we invoke the communion of saints and join our voices with them in saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy...” among them will rise the noisy, raspy and brassy voice of Ruby, irrepressible and full of life. Amen.

So how do we measure the effectiveness of this remarkable congregation? By the fact that it only has a miniscule congregation - or by the fact that they are friends of the homeless?