Annual Candlelight Service of Remembrance

The holidays for most, are a wonderful time of celebration.  Family gatherings provide a secure environment for sharing love and warm memories.  For those who have lost a loved one, however, it can be one of the most challenging and difficult times of the year.  The holidays bring back many good memories resulting in a feeling of aloneness.

Each year, Phillips Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Carpenter's Funeral Home and The Grief Center of the Southern Tier sponsor a Candle Lighting Service of Remembrance.  It is a community wide event that is free and open to the public.  It is held at a local place of worship.  The service utilizes local pastors and musicians.  Family members of those being remembered have an opportunity to light a candle in honor of a loved one.  A special candle is lit honoring all men and women who have lost their lives while serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This special service is an expression of praise and thankfulness for the life of the deceased, designed to help the bereaved begin to let the joy of their loved one's life take the place of the hurt and pain of their death.  The Annual Candle Lighting Service of Remembrance is a very important part of many grieving individuals lives during the holiday season.