Grief Support Ministry

Services Provided

• Ongoing Pastoral and lay one-on-one counseling.
• Support Groups: Winter and Fall 8-week sessions with learn and share format.
• Beyond: Periodic food and fellowship meetings with past support group participants.
• Tinsel & Tears: annual mid-November candle lighting service in remembrance of loved ones lost with past support group participants.
• Longest Night: grief support participants participation in annual Longest Night, Brightest Hope service normally held on December 21, also open to the public.

Resources Available

• Handouts: Magazine and book articles used in sharing of information about grief issues
• Presentation: Power Point presentations for small groups over-viewing the grief ministry
• Books and internet sites related to grief recovery

Stewardship Opportunities

• Facilitators: participate in one-on-one counseling and lead support group sessions. Training is provided in grief ministry issues and in facilitating issues.

• Assistant Lay Ministry Leader

• Assistant Activities Coordinator

Confidentiality

• The identity of all participants in one-on-one counseling and support group participation is kept confidential by all grief ministry workers. All counseling and support group participation is held in safe and confidential environments.

Expectations

• There are no magical words or actions to “fix” a person’s grief. The only way to the other side of a grief event is to mourn your way through it. And even then you really never completely heal. However, through this ministry or really knowledgeable and dedicated friends, you don’t have to grieve alone.

2012 sessions:

January 19 through March 8, 2012
Fall 2012 sessions begin September 11 and run through October 30
(These sessions are for any situation of loss, spouse, parent, child, sibling or friend)

The sessions are based on Life After Loss curriculum. See below for details:

Life After Loss offers a support group for adults 18 and older who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The ministry provides a safe place to learn and share.  

Trained and experienced facilitators lead participants in learning and sharing about the physical and emotional aspects of grief as well as coping methods for finding healing and new growth.

Life After Loss, a time to grieve, provides a safe environment to…

• Share experiences, thoughts and feelings
• Counter the sense of isolation
• Learn new ways of approaching problems
• Understand the importance of good grief
• Offer support to others
• Explore a foundation of faith
• Make new friends

Where: Collierville United Methodist Church located at 454 West Poplar Avenue, Collierville, TN 38017
Time: 7-8:30 p.m. (For all sessions)

This program is free and open to the public.

Registration is required. All materials are free of charge and are provided by the Life After Loss Grief Ministry at CUMC. To register one week prior to start of session, call pastoral staff at 853-8383.  

Support Group Agenda:
Week 1 - “You’re not going crazy! You’re grieving”  
Week 2 - “Where are you in your grief?”    
Week 3 - “Feelings”    
Week 4 - “Transitions and changes”    
Week 5 - “Loneliness”    
Week 6 - “Coping Tools”    
Week 7 - “Working my way through annual reminders and new horizons.”    
Week 8 - “What next?”  

Other Upcoming Events for 2012

April 12, 2012 - "Beyond" Dinner
August 16, 2012 - "Beyond" Dinner
November 15, 2012 - Tinsel & Tears
December 18, 2012 - Longest Night

The CUMC Grief Ministry offers one-on-one counseling throughout the year.

For more information, please contact: Bobby Smith, Activities Coordinator, at 482-6713; or Rev. David Weatherly at 853-8383.

"The quality and quantity of understanding support you get during your work of mourning will have a major influence on your capacity to heal. You cannot - nor should you try to - do this alone. Drawing on the experiences and encouragement of friends and fellow grievers is not a weakness but a healthy human need." - Alan Wolfelt, Understanding Your Grief