Help for Families Dealing with Grief Over the Holidays

Ceremony to Remember Loved Ones Lost in 2018

Sunday, December 2, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital hosted the Eight Annual Holiday Memorial Service honoring the memory of patients that have passed away this year.

“The holidays are some of the most difficult times for families who have lost loved ones,” said Katie Ivey, MDiv, BCC, Director of Pastoral Care, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital. “A sense of grief and loss is often stirred anew during the holidays when family traditions are widely celebrated. This ceremony offers support to families as they continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones.”

The service consisted of beautiful live music, words of comfort, prayer, and a special time of remembrance. As the name of each lost loved one was called out, family members hung an ornament on the Holiday Memorial Tree in their honor and memory.

“We are honored and humbled that we are able be with families at such a profoundly intimate time,” said Gina Temple, President and CEO, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital. “We share our families’ grief, and are here should they need somewhere to turn for support.”

Around 100 people gathered for the Eighth Annual Holiday Memorial Service, many of them Mission Trail Baptist Hospital employees who attended the service to remember patients and families they cared for during the year. A reception with refreshments was hosted at the close of ceremonies.