Candlelight Service
In 1943 a group of women in Brooktondale, New York, began printing a newsletter called the Brooktondale Bugler, with information about local events and their hometown servicemen stationed around the world. The paper carried an article about a special service held on December 30, 1944:
At the morning service of the Nazarene Church in Brooktondale, Dec. 30th, a candle lighting service was held in honor of those in Service of our Country from our community. Dr. Howard Miller delivered the message in conjunction with the service. His subject was, “The relationship of Home, Church, and Country.”
A row of nineteen candles was placed in front of the Altar and as the Pastor, Rev. Stanford Ernest read the name of the man or woman in service, the mother, wife, or sister, lighted a candle in his or her honor. Rev. Ernest offered a prayer for their safe return and Miss Betty Miller very impressively sang “Keep the Home Fires Burning.”
Two beautiful flags, the American and the Christian, were presented to the Church by Dr. Howard Miller and Mrs. Miller.342
The 2007 population of Brooktondale was 2028. It may have been smaller or larger in 1944, but probably not by much. Nineteen young people serving in the armed forces represented a large portion of this small town. This prayerful and thoughtful community support had to be encouraging and uplifting for those doing their duty away from home. We pray that so many will never again be involved in a war, but that, whatever the number, those who go into harm’s way for us will always be so honored. As the popular World War I song says, “Keep the home fires burning, while your hearts are yearning…”343
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
—John 15:13