Messiah’s Bereavement Ministry

This ministry provides opportunities and space for people who have lost loved ones to come together to pray, learn about stages and characteristics of grief, and talk about their losses in a supportive environment.

The most effective component is sending a series of four booklets, “Journeying through Grief,” (Stephen Ministry Publishers) to people who have lost loved ones recently. The booklets are simple, well formatted and answer all the questions people have during this stressful first year of loss.
                 

We also offer two different support groups. Joy Beyond the Bend, meets monthly- going out to lunch and then returning to church for a brief devotional, playing cards and chatting. The other group, Hope for the Journey, meets weekly at church. It uses a companioning model, where we talk about our grief journey/story and our emotions and strategies for coping.

Our library offers many books supporting people during their grief journeys. We also offer special Study Groups about various aspects of grief and special Services of Remembrance during the year as needed to meet the needs of our groups.