Worldwide candle lighting service to remember children Dec. 8

The annual Worldwide Candle Lighting Service of the Lighthouse Chapter of The Compassionate Friends will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth, Sunday, Dec. 8. This service transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries, and includes music, inspirational readings, and a guest speaker. All loved ones are welcome. 

When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or daughter, a brother or sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family.  The Lighthouse Chapter of The Compassionate Friends meets regularly the second Thursday of every month, at 7 p.m., at Epworth Church.  

Those who wish to attend this special event and have their child’s, or children’s, names read aloud during the service are asked to register beginning at 6 p.m. The service begins at 6:30 p.m. The candlelighting part of the service to honor each child will take place at 7 p.m., coinciding with the largest mass candle lighting to circle the globe. 

The candlelighting will begin in New Zealand and will then move westward through each time zone as tens of thousands of bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, relatives, and friends around the globe join together to light remembrance candles to honor their children who have died but will never be forgotten.

For questions, or to preregister, contact the chapter’s facilitators: Bill Hicks, 610-999-8698 or Jill Hicks, 610-368-0236. By preregistering, families have the ability to add their child’s picture to a slide show that will be featured during the candle lighting. Ornaments, which will be placed on the tree in memory of a child, will be available for pick up after the service.