Angel of Hope Ceremony

A candlelight ceremony will be held at the Angel of Hope statue at Lendonwood Gardens on Friday, December 6, to remember lost loved ones, especially children. This year, the annual ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m., 30 minutes later than usual, to accommodate those attending downtown events on the same evening.

The Angel of Hope ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place in front of the statue, located on the western side of the botanical garden.

“We know the ceremony is special to so many people and want to do what we can to help them attend our event as well as activities in downtown Grove,” said Pauline Hale, president of the garden’s Board of Directors.

Hale said the ceremony traditionally is held at Angel of Hope sites nationwide on the same date and time every year. The statue was placed in Lendonwood as part of a national movement inspired by the 1993 best-selling novel, “The Christmas Box,” by Richard Paul Evans.

“We are pleased to host the Angel statue and surrounding garden as a special place for people to remember and honor those they have lost,” Hale said. “We invite everyone who wishes to participate to join us on this remembrance occasion.”

As of this year, more than 160 Angel of Hope statues have been erected in the U.S., Japan and Canada, each with an annual commemoration ceremony on December 6.

At Lendonwood, the ceremony will include music, a reading of the statue’s history, and an offering of prayer by Pastor Robert Carter of Trinity Baptist Church, Grove. White flowers will be provided by Rusty Willow florist shop of Grove for participants to place at the base of the statue.

Light refreshments will be served at the ceremony.

Memorial bricks inscribed with personalized messages are installed around the base of the Angel of Hope statue. Inscribed bricks, which are available for $100 each, may be ordered by contacting Lendonwood at 918-786-2938.

Lendonwood, one of 14 botanical gardens in Oklahoma, is a nonprofit organization funded and supported by donations and volunteers. The garden is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk.