Our Upcoming Events
Monthly Support Meetings
All bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings are welcome to attend.
For more information and venue details see Monthly Support Meetings
DISCUSSION TOPICS
14th FEBRUARY 2012 - Elements of a Broken Heart
Valentine’s Day when love is all around us, we especially remember the love we shared with our child who is now gone.
Ask any parent who has lost a child and they will talk about having a broken heart.
We will discuss this, and will offer encouragement and hope to each other, that life again will go on, despite our broken heart.
13th MARCH 2012 - Mal McKissok DVD “Guilt and Anger”
10th APRIL 2012 - To be advised in the newsletter, this site and our Facebook page
Annual TCF Christmas Candlelight Remembrance Service
This year on December 11, the Worldwide Candle Lighting will celebrate 15 years of honouring and remembering all children gone far too soon. Hundreds and hundreds of services will be held globally by TCF chapters, allied organisations, and bereaved parent groups.
The Compassionate Friends Candle Lighting Service is held annually on the second Sunday in December. This is a world-wide event that unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles at 7 pm local time for one hour to honour and remember our children who have died. As candles are lit at 7 pm local time, a virtual 24 hour wave of light is created as it passes from time zone-to-time zone. It is now believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe. 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.
The Worldwide Candle Lighting 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.
The Brisbane format is one where items submitted by bereaved families are read, their songs are played and central to the evening is the lighting of a candle in memory of each of our children who have died. Those present are invited to write a message to their child on a small card and place it beside a candle which will then be lit. This is a very special evening for bereaved parents and their families as it gives them an opportunity to express their feelings and acknowledge their children in a beautiful, meaningful way – especially helpful at this time of year when Christmas festivities are all around us. We invite members to submit items for inclusion in our Service. Suitable items are poetry, verses, other readings and appropriate songs. Should you wish to submit a song, please send in a CD of it - however please be aware that the number of songs we can play is limited. You are asked to send your item to our postal address or email us or bring it into the Drop-in Centre. Closing date for songs is Monday 31st October and for all other contributions it is Monday 7th November. If you have any queries, please telephone us on 3254 2657.
The opportunity is offered for a member of the family to read their item, but if that is not possible we do have other people available who are happy to read your item on your behalf. Please advise us when you send in your contribution whom your planned reader is, or if you wish us to organise a reader.
2011 SERVICE - CHANGE OF VENUE
Merthyr Road Uniting Church, 52 Merthyr Road, NEW FARM QLD 4005
Date: Sunday 11th December 2011
Time: 6.15pm for a 6.45pm start
At the completion of the service, we adjourn to the hall where supper is served.
It would be much appreciated if you are able to bring along a plate to share for supper. All bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents and their families are warmly invited to attend this special event.
Media Stories and Videos on the 2010 Worldwide Candle Lighting...
Candlelighting Remembrance Service Video
TCF Brisbane Candlelight Remembrance Service
A special part of the 2010 service was the barbershop quartet, Vortex, singing ‘An Irish Blessing’. They also sang a selection of songs during supper.
John & Karen Van Raalte at the 2009 Service
Donations to Christmas Hamper
We also ask our members to be generous and supportive in making good quality donations to our Christmas Hamper raffle.
Suitable items are many and varied with some suggestions being — any Christmas type produce (such as non-perishable food lines, decorations, etc) gift items of all descriptions, toys, gift vouchers, groceries or anything you think may be appropriate.
Donations can be brought along to any of our meetings, coffee mornings or to the Drop-in Centre – or should you need a drop off point closer to you, please phone us and we will make arrangements.
Our sincere thanks for your valued support.
Ttickets for our Christmas Hamper Raffle have been posted out to members. The date on your raffle tickets is incorrect, it will be drawn on the 11th December.
We offer three prizes, each of which is a hamper made up of donated goods - in previous years these have been excellent hampers and we hope this year’s will be too.
Any support you are able to offer by selling the enclosed tickets will be much appreciated as the funds generated help us to continue to offer our services to grieving families.
Please return all monies and ticket butts (as well as unsold) tickets to our postal address found on the front page of this newsletter by Monday 28th November.
The raffle will be drawn at supper following our Candlelight Remembrance Service on Sunday 11th December.
Rockhampton Christmas Candlelight Remembrance Service
The Compassionate Friends (TCF) Rockhampton also hold their Christmas Candlelight Remembrance Service which celebrates and honoured the lives of children of all ages who have died. All families who have experienced the death of a child are warmly invited to come along and share in this time of remembering.
Familes may also wish to invite extended family members and close friends to share this evening with them.
There are a number of ways for families to be involved.
1. Families are invited to submit photographs of their children for inclusion in a slideshow presentation. (Please submit photographs via email to Judy Shepherd fitzgerald_shepherd@yahoo.com.au by Sunday, 4th December, 2011)
2. Families may wish to submit poetry, verses, other readings or songs/music which may have special significance to you and your child which may be read, played or displayed at the service.
3. There will also be a candle lighting for each child who has died.
A light supper follws and families may like to bring along a plate of food to share.
Place: St David’s Anglican Church, Simpson St, North Rockhampton
Date: Sunday 18th December 2011
Time: 7.00pm
For more information, please contact:
Judy Shepherd on 49270222
Email fitzgerald_shepherd@yahoo.com.au)
Or Karen Shillington on 49288832
Email kshil3@eq.edu.au
December Support Meeting
Date: 13 December
Time: 7.30 pm
Location:
The Drop In Centre (Meeting Room)
505 Bowen Terrace
New Farm, Brisbane
A friendly atmosphere, supper is provided
Parking: Plenty of street parking
Who can attend: Any grieving parent, grandparent, or adult sibling who wants to meet with a friend and learn how others are coping. Membership is not required to attend support meetings.
Cost: Only the effort it takes for our bereaved parents to gather together and meet another bereaved parent who really understands and cares.
More information...
