The Church of the Palms, United Church of Christ, 14808 N. Boswell Blvd., announces the unveiling of “Homeless Jesus,” a life-size bronze statue by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz, for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18.

Schmalz will be present at the unveiling on the church grounds to share the history of this art piece. Since 2016, “Homeless Jesus” bronzes have been installed in more than 100 locations around the world. Pope Francis blessed this art piece in a public prayer.

Rev. Max Klinkenborg, Ret. is Volunteer Minster to the Homeless at the church. He shared his passion to bring this sculpture to fruition on the church property by stating, “Why place a piece of public art, specifically ‘Homeless Jesus’ on our campus? Let me give an example. The most well-known and prominent piece of public art in the United States is the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor. Given to the United States by France in the late 19th Century, Lady Liberty is holding a lamp aloft, ‘Lighting the way to freedom and showing us the way to liberty.’ A plaque at the base records a sonnet written by Emma Lazarus in 1883, that includes these words: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost to me.’”

This, Klinkenborg added, is an eloquent expression of an American ideal.

“The presence of this piece of public art has spoken to the world, words of welcome and freedom for 130 years,” he stated. “It proclaims the Spirit of America for all to see. In like manner of the sculpture, ‘Homeless Jesus’ will tell all who look upon it who the Church of the Palms is. It is a ‘visual translation’ of Matthew 25. In that scripture Jesus commends his disciples with these words from the message: ‘I was hungry and you fed me I was thirsty and you gave me a drink I was homeless and you gave me a room I was shivering and you gave me clothes I was sick and you stopped to visits I was in prison and you came to me.’ But the disciples were perplexed and questioned Jesus as to when they had done these things to Jesus. He explained to them ‘Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me –you did it to me.’”

According to Klinkenborg, this is the message Schmalz communicates.

“Any time there is a homeless person sleeping behind a dumpster, or under a viaduct, or on a park bench, that is Jesus,” stated Klinkenborg. “So the sculpture says to the public that The Church of the Palms are ‘Matthew 25 disciples.’ They see people in need and take care of them as if they were Jesus. And the sculpture is the constant reminder to members of Church of the Palms that this is who we are, and these are the people we serve. It gives us an identity and authenticity. In common parlance – we are people who walk the talk.”

For additional information, contact Senior Pastor Paul Whitlock at Church of the Palms, 623-977-8359, or Klinkenborg, 623-977-8359.