Rogersville church reignites Empty Chair remembrance ceremony
Samantha Karam/For the Observer-Reporter
The tree is decorated with the handwritten names of those who have passed. As with previous Empty Chair ceremonies, attendees wrote the names of lost loved ones on ornaments and then hung them on the tree.
Samantha Karam/For the Observer-Reporter
Attendees at this year’s Empty Chair ceremony hold up candles to signify the souls they’ve lost. The ceremony took place Dec. 4 at Place of Grace in Rogersville. Organizers said it will be an annual event on the first Wednesday in December.
“Oh there’s an empty chair sitting right beside you that you have saved for me.”
These lyrics projected through the dimly lit chapel at Place of Grace on Dec. 4 as the Rogersville Christian church opened its first-ever Empty Chair: A Time of Remembrance service with a song.
“We just kinda missed it when they didn’t have it last year,” said Nancy Horr, who co-coordinated this year’s Empty Chair service.
The Greene County District Attorney’s office, up until last year, put on an annual Empty Chair service that rotated to various locations throughout the county. It was a time and space for residents to remember lost loved ones, and to grieve together during the holiday season.
However, Horr said, former coordinators either retired or moved away so last year there was no service. Horr and another member of her grieving parent support group missed the service so, in October, the two decided to organize a service.
“(There are) so many people in the community who need this,” said Pansy McConnell, the other organizer.
Both Horr and McConnell agree the Empty Chair service helps the grieving process.
“It means something for me,” Horr said. “We needed to do it.”
The service opened with a song. Pastor Jimmy Jarvis then gave a welcome and opening prayer. Throughout the evening, Jarvis and singer Lexi Van Dyne took turns at the microphone, filling the space with gospel and song.
Upon arrival, attendees wrote the names of lost loved ones on angel-shaped ornaments. Toward the end of the service, they each put their ornaments on a Christmas tree.
Then everyone held up a candle and, as a group, extinguished the flames. The service closed with a communal singing of “Amazing Grace,” following by refreshments in the basement.
Horr noted each attendee received a wooden ornament, which West Greene High School students made. Place of Grace purchased the ornaments and everyone got to take one home.
“The first holidays I needed something,” McConnell said. “This shows you aren’t alone, especially over the holidays. “
McConnell said the Rogersville church plans to host Empty Chair every year, on the first Wednesday in December. She’ll begin advertising for next year with a Facebook event page in October, which she plans to post to pages like the Greene County Chit Chat.
The Place of Grace is located on East Roy Furman Highway in Rogersville, across from Community Bank.