Compassionate Friends to hold candle-lighting service Dec. 12

The Lighthouse Chapter of the Compassionate Friends will participate in the annual worldwide candle-lighting service to remember children who have passed away, at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12, at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach. Face masks are required. This service transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious and political boundaries, and includes music, inspirational readings and a guest speaker. All loved ones are welcome. The event will also be livestreamed at youtu.be/609o6De4N94.

When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain, and members 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, brother or sister, or grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family. The Lighthouse Chapter of The Compassionate Friends meets at 7 p.m., the second Thursday of every month at Epworth UMC.

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 candle-lighting part of the service to honor each child will take place at 7 p.m. to coincide with the largest mass candle-lighting to circle the globe.

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

For questions or to preregister, contact chapter facilitators Bill Hicks at 610-999-8698 or Jill Hicks at 610-368-0236.

By preregistering, families will have the ability to add their child’s picture to a slide show featured during the candle lighting. An ornament will be placed on the tree in memory of each child whose family preregisters. Ornaments will be available for pickup after the service.