Upper Bann Christmas Service of Remembrance, Hope & Healing

PIPS Hope & Support 2024 Christmas Service of Remembrance, Hope & Healing for Families and Friends Bereaved by Suicide

Each year, PIPS Hope & Support extends a heartfelt invitation to families and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide, offering a special Christmas Service of Remembrance, Hope, and Healing. This gathering provides a gentle space for reflection, where those grieving can come together to honour their loved ones through personal reflections, poetry, beautiful music, a moving candlelight procession, and the Memory Tree service.

This years’ Upper Bann service will take place on Sunday, December 15th at 4:00 pm in Portadown Town Hall, Edward Street, Portadown.

Seamus McCabe, Chief Executive Officer of PIPS Hope & Support, shared, "We extend our heartfelt invitation to all families and friends who have been affected by the loss of a loved one to suicide to join us on December 15th. Our Christmas Service of Remembrance, Hope, and Healing provides a gentle space for reflection, offering a moment of solace where we can come together to honour and remember those we hold dear. It is our deepest hope that this years’ service offers comfort to those attending for the first time, as well as those who have found peace in joining us year after year."

He continued, "This gathering is a truly compassionate and meaningful occasion, offering an opportunity for connection with others who understand the unique pain of suicide loss. It serves as a reminder that no one is alone in their grief, and that there is hope and support to be found. As in years past, we will light memorial candles in a shared moment of remembrance, and participants are welcome to write personal messages on memorial cards, which will be placed on the Memory Tree. After the service, the Memory Tree will stand in Newry Cathedral throughout the Christmas season, serving as a tender tribute to the loved ones we carry in our hearts."

For those who would like to have a Memorial Card added to the Memory Tree in advance, we encourage you to email your message to info@pipshopeandsupport.org or call the PIPS Hope & Support office at 028 3831 0151. Volunteers from bereaved families will lovingly place these cards on the tree during the service. Alternatively, attendees are welcome to write their own messages at the beginning of the service.

We invite all who are affected by suicide loss to join us for this warm and compassionate event as we come together to remember, heal, and find hope.