Tauranga church addresses community's 'unresolved grief' with remembrance event

Community members can take a photo of their lost loved one and light a remembrance candle. Photo / File

A Tauranga church is giving those who have been unable to attend funerals this year a chance to address "unresolved grief".

The event called the All Souls Service – A Time to Grieve is happening on Sunday at 9am and is a chance for people who could not attend funerals this year to acknowledge their losses.

Reverend John Hebenton from the Anglican Parish of Gate Pā said it was a chance for so many of those who had lost loved ones this year or experienced pain to come down and reflect.

"It's been a hard year for everyone. So many have lost friends and relatives and have not been able to get funerals.

"There is a lot of unresolved grief in the community right now."

People are encouraged to bring a photograph of a loved one they lost to hang at the front of the church. They will be able to light a remembrance candle.

There will be readings and prayers and a lot of time for people to sit, reflect and remember, he said.

Reverend John Hebenton from the Anglican Parish of Gate Pā said it was a chance for many to come down and reflect. Photo / File

A community morning tea will follow the last hymn.

He said there would be "grief on the mind" for a lot of people and it was so important to have an outlet for this.

He said they had seen a large increase in funerals at the parish this year with many "choosing this year to die".

People had waited months to bury their loved ones as they held off until travel bubbles opened, he said.

He said every funeral they had held had also had an "online element" to it with people zooming in for the event.

He said people experiencing a sense of loss needed somewhere to acknowledge it and the ceremony was the chance to do this.