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The 5th annual Child Loss Remembrance service is set for 7:00 pm Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Calvary Baptist Church, 1120 Market St., Denton.
The service is for grieving parents who have lost a child of any age, whether in the womb, as an infant or child, right up through adult, and whatever the cause, according to Marie Freeman, founder of the local service. “There’s no judgment. We have all suffered an unimaginable loss. It’s unnatural for a parent to bury their child, and it begins a lifetime of grief. This event provides support to others in this terrible club,” Freeman said.
Freeman and her husband Dan lost their 10-month-old daughter Brianna in 2000. They were going to an Orioles’ game, Freeman recalled. Dan had picked up Brianna and was on his way home where Marie was waiting to dress Brianna in her little black and orange outfit for the game. Then she got the call that their vehicle had been rear-ended on Route 404. “Parents have lost their future. Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays are hard. Family and friends gather to celebrate, but your heart is not in it,” Freeman said. The service helps parents know they are not alone.
Pastor Don Reynolds and Calvary Baptist have hosted the Caroline County remembrance service since it began in 2020. Freeman approached Reynolds after learning the church was holding outdoor services, and he welcomed the opportunity to help. So, following COVID-19 protocols and avoiding an indoor setting, the first service was held in the parking lot.
“Attendees gathered in their cars and were able to listen through their car radios,” Freeman said. She provided a 12-ft. Christmas tree where parents were invited to place a white bow with their child’s name on it – a tradition that continues, only the tree and service have moved into the church.
“We’re there for each other,” she said. “It’s still a very profound loss, but not as raw. In a small town, you recognize faces and draw comfort knowing there are others.”
The lasts about an hour and includes music, inspirational messages and readings, and the reading of each child’s name and date of passing. Each family participating also takes home a memorial ornament to place on their own tree.
