Candle-lighting Ceremony for Fallen Children

The Redlands Chapter of the Compassionate Friends held its 18th Annual Worldwide Candle-lighting Ceremony Sunday, Dec. 14 at the First Congregational Church in Redlands. The candle-lighting ceremony started at 6:30 p.m. but it wasn’t until the clock struck 7 p.m. that all of the candles were lit. More than 125 community members attended. For one hour that night, every single candle remained burning to honor and to always remember those children who have died from any circumstances. All of those who have been connected to a child that died -parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, or simply just a friend - were welcome and encouraged to attend. The program also included musical guests such as vocalist Amber Salmon and master of ceremonies Thurston Smith. According to Chapter Leader Crystal Czarniak, Salmon sang three songs: “Dancing in the Sky” by Dani and Lizzy, “Without You” by Rent, and “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. She chose these three out of a list of specific songs in order to express a heartfelt, yet positive mood for all attendees. Czarniak shared that the event’s purpose was not to evoke somber emotion, but to serve more as a memorial for the families and loved ones left behind. Although tears are still shed, “we want to be moving away from the death stories and move to the love stories,” Czarniak shared. Marilyn Heavilin is the founder of this Redlands Chapter of The Compassionate Friends group. Three of her five children have passed away; two of them as infants, and another when he was only 17. Czarniak sees Heavilin as a hero. Czarniak, a 15-year cancer survivor, said, “Attending a support group increases your chances of living by eight percent.” After losing her son at the age of 28, the Compassionate Friends was the support group to help her through this extremely hard time. For 17 years, the Redlands Chapter has opened its doors for anyone who needs help and support through a tragic loss of a loved one. “If you need support, we’re there...we all understand and we support each other. It’s an amazing thing,” Czarniak said. “Anyone is welcome, white collar, blue collar, no collar. We are here to help improve the quality of lives.” This candle-lighting event is world-wide and starts in New Zealand. All around the world, candles are lit at 7 p.m. on on the same day every year. For a whole hour, the candles burning represent and celebrate the lives of the loved ones who have passed away. [END] Date: Sunday, December 14, 2014 Time: 6:30 p.m. Google Map Event Location: First Congregational Church Address: 2 W. Olive Ave. Redlands CA 92373 Description: Redlands Chapter of the Compassionate Friends participate in worldwide candle-lighting ceremony honoring children. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Redlands Chapter of the Compassionate Friends will participate in the Compassionate Friends’ 18th worldwide candle-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14 First Congregational Church, 2 W. Olive Ave., Redlands. In the ceremony, people will have candles lit for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause. Candles are lit around the world at 7 p.m. local time, creating a virtual wave of light. The event is open to parents, grandparents, siblings, other family members and friends of children who have died. This year’s Redlands program will feature vocalist Amber Salmon and master of ceremonies Thurston Smith. This event is believed to be the largest mass candle lighting in the world, with hundreds of formal candle-lighting events and thousands of informal candle lightings in homes. The Compassionate Friends is a self-help organization for families who have experienced the death of a child. For information, email tcfredlands@aol.com or call 800-717-0373. ------------------------------NOTES----------------------------- “It’s a very peaceful, reflective time,” said Lauren Briggs, a member of the group’s Redlands chapter. “You hold the candle as long as you see fit, then go place it in a container full of sand. When they are all massed together, the light is just beautiful.” The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit at 7:00 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon. Now believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe, the 18th annual Worldwide Candle Lighting, a gift to the bereavement community from The Compassionate Friends, creates a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone. TCF's WWCL started in the United States in 1997 as a small internet observance, but has since swelled in numbers as word has spread throughout the world of the remembrance. Hundreds of formal candle lighting events are held and thousands of informal candle lightings are conducted in homes as families gather in quiet remembrance of children who have died, but will never be forgotten.