Candles will glow Sunday, Dec. 9, when tens of thousands of bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, relatives, and friends around the globe will join together to light remembrance candles to honor the memories of children who have died, but will never be forgotten. Held annually the second Sunday in December, this will be the 16th Worldwide Candle Lighting sponsored by The Compassionate Friends (TCF), the nations largest self-help bereavement organization for families that have suffered the tragic loss of a child.
The local candle lighting, held by the Four Corners chapter, will be part of a special service held on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Fellowship, 24 N. Chestnut in Cortez (use the back entrance off of North St.) and will feature music, poems, and a special movie showing our children. If you would like your child included in the movie, submit a photo and information by Wednesday, Dec. 5. To contact the Four Corners chapter of The Compassionate Friends, call Debbie Snead at 565-4732, or Cherie McAndrew at 565-6480.
Annually tens of thousands of families, united in loss, light candles for one hour during the Worldwide Candle Lighting. Candles are first lit at 7 p.m. local time, just west of the International Date Line. As candles burn down in one time zone, they are lighted in the next, creating a 24-hour wave of light as the observance continues around the world.
TCF has more than 650 chapters in the United States, with sister organizations in at least 30 countries around the globe. The Worldwide Candle Lighting is open to all who wish to participate, whether by sponsoring or attending a service open to the public, joining in a small gathering, or lighting a candle in the quiet solitude of their homes or wherever they may be.
TCF has been joined in the United States by chapters of many national organizations including MADD, MISS, Parents of Murdered Children, SIDS Network, Gildas Club, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Bereaved Parents of the USA. During the day of the event, a remembrance book will be open to the public on the website to receive memorial messages of love posted from around the world. Last year, more than 5,000 messages were received, many in foreign languages.
For more information about the event or The Compassionate Friends, visit www.compassionatefriends.org or call 877-969-0010. TCF is also on Facebook.