Holiday memorial service offered

By Greg Price
Vauxhall Advance
gprice@tabertimes.com

The holiday season is fast approaching and it can be a trying time for some who have suffered significant loss.

In helping deal with that loss, a holiday season memorial service is being offered on Sunday, Dec. 9.

Michael Rose has been an associate chaplain with Alberta Health Services at the Taber Hospital for approximately seven years.

“We were looking at opportunities of how can we help provide tangible support for people, not just at the hospital, but for people out in the community as well,” said Rose. “Also, being a member of the spiritual care advisory committee which advises Albert Health Services on spiritual care matters, I thought this would be a good fit.”

Lethbridge has been doing something similar to a holiday season memorial service for approximately a decade, and Rose wanted to offer something similar to Taber-area residents.

“With some of the other work I was involved with, I was becoming acutely aware of just how many folks are out there struggling with grief,” said Rose. “During the holiday season, grief, painful loss and just depression in general is pretty big time.”

Rose approached the Taber and District Health Foundation with the idea of hosting a memorial service for the entire community. Buy in was immediate, not only by the foundation, but also many different community partners.

“The foundation is supporting it very generously and I appreciate that. What was really great was in the context of that meeting, the clinic manager was there and the manger graciously offered the clinic’s waiting room for us to host the event which means we don’t have to go hire a space. This whole event is a collaboration between Taber and District Health Foundation, the generosity of the clinic and my capacity as a spiritual chaplain to get this event to Taber.”

Rose hopes the memorial service provides a safe and gentle event in context for people who are struggling and having a tough time during the holiday season dealing with any type of loss.

“They can experience some quiet and maybe give them a break from the storm. We hope it provides encouragement with different ideas, thoughts and music that is going to be part of the event,” said Rose. “We are tying up a few loose ends, but it will include a bunch of different voices and different traditions from people who live here in Taber. They can come and share scripture or God, or a song or music or what have you. They can even share their stories of loss with people who attend.”

Invites still have to be finalized, but along with a musician and chelist, spiritual and community leaders are being invited to the event along with a First Nations representative.

Also included will be specific acts of memorial where each person who comes in will get a card in which they can put the name of the person that they have lost or is heavy on their heart. During the service, each one of those names will be read out loud in an act of remembrance.

“Another activity that happens as part of that is a reflection using candle lighting,” said Rose. “We want to engage people on a bunch of different levels. We want to make it a safe, peaceful, gentle refuge.”

Significant loss can be found in many different forms which the memorial service can help with. While losing a loved one who has passed is the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of personal loss, there are many situations where the holidays can magnify the feeling of one’s grief.

“What happens if this is your first Christmas after a divorce, and having to navigate that relationship with your kids? What about losing your employment or a catastrophic health diagnosis?” asked Rose. “There are all kinds of losses that people experience that can be quite difficult that this service can help deal with.”

Rose hopes the service shows people that they do not need to feel alone in what they are feeling in their grieving process.

“The feeling of loss is a natural, normal human response to loss of any kind. Unfortunately, what we have learned is the people who have experienced these types of losses tend to isolate,” said Rose. “If we can help folks come together in some sort of healthy community, even if for a brief period of time, in that context they can express themselves.”

The Holiday Memorial Service goes Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Taber Health Centre Clinic at 4326 50th Ave. For more information, call Michael at 403-332-0480.

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