About 40 people attended the Hospice Memory Tree Lighting ceremony Tuesday evening - a tradition that goes back about 20 years.

 

The event was a partnership between CentraCare Monticello, CentraCare Healthcare & Hospice, Heartland Hospice and Guardian Angels Hospice.

 

It was a solemn time for many, as friends and family gathered at CentraCare Hospital in Monticello to remember loved ones who had been lost over the years.

 

CentraCare Health  Administrator  Mary Ellen Wells greeted the group and encouraged them to seek solace in each other and think of the evening’s gathering as a celebration of the lives of their lost friends and family members.  

 

“We’re here having cared for your loved ones and we want to be with you to honor them,” she said. “We understand grieving is a very personal journey and it can be filled with tears  and filled with moments of being overwhelmed. 

 

“We hope that this ritual tonight can be a time of comfort, a time of celebration, especially that we bring you a sense of calm as we enter a pretty hectic, trying time around the Holidays.”

 

After the invocation by CentraCare Chaplain Jocelyn Bakkemo, guests remained silent during the reflection, Wintersong  by Sara McLachlan. 

 

Then four candles were lit, representing the feelings of loved ones towards those they had lost. The candles signified grief, memories, courage and love.

 

That was followed by the ringing of the bells in memory of those who had died, where guests hung small paper angels on a Christmas tree as the names of their loved ones were announced.

 

Once everyone had placed an angel on the tree, all the guests, holding lit candles, followed a procession to the solarium corridor as song Silent Night played.

 

Everyone gathered in the solarium to witness the lighting of the big tree that had been planted outside this year.

 

In past years, a smaller tree had been lit inside the lobby or boardroom. Last year, a larger, temporary live tree was lit outside as part of the ceremony.

 

“It was so beautiful, we decided we were going to plant one so we would have a tree year after year as a symbol, an honor to the loved ones that are gone,” said Jennifer Smolen, CentraCare Director of Social Services.

 

“This tree is permanent. It’s not going to come down at the end of the season,” Wells told the guests. “It’s planted in the ground and will be here, just as we will be here for you as well.”

 

Heidi Hagen of Heartland Hospice spoke about the meaning of the lights.

 

“The memories of our loved ones who have gone before us remain alive in our hearts and minds as we recall the love we have for them and how thir love remans forever within us. The lights of the Christmas Tree illuminate this symbol of unending light. They bring happiness and joy to all who witness their shining radiance. They light up the darkness and bring beauty to all they enlighten. When we feel lost in the darkness, they continue to light our way.”

 

The three lights came on as the guests watched through the solarium windows.

 

Then, after a moment of silence, guests mingled, had refreshments and listened to Colleen Austin play the harp.

 

Many of them looked at bulletin boards of photographs of people who had passed away in previous years.

 

Anita DeMars from Elk River found photos of members of a family that went to her church and a photo of the husband of her former English teacher.

 

“These are the people the hospice helped,” she said.

 

Anita was at the ceremony in memory of her husband, Leon, who died of cancer in September.

 

“He had radiation here at the Cancer Center,” she said. “We had Guardian Angels Hospice. They’re a wonderful organization.”

 

She said she appreciated the time and effort it took to hold the tree lighting ceremony.

 

“This is very touching,” she said. “Everybody gets to share their grief and happiness at the same time.”