A new cycle of GriefShare, so ably facilitated by Pattie Davis and a number of co-facilitators, began in January after being delayed by severe weather and will consist of 13 weekly sessions.  This program is a support group to help and encourage persons after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend.

 

These sessions aim to help each participant, collectively and individually, learn to deal with their grief and loss; a place where they may move forward in their journey from mourning to joy. Guided by the facilitators, each meeting features a video, group discussion, and the use of a personal workbook. The videos, approximately 35 minutes in length, feature comments and suggestions by experts who help deal with loss, personal stories of people who are grieving, and enactments by some about how they have confronted their own  situation.

 

The group discussions, which are completely confidential, offer participants the opportunity to share something they noted, to ask questions they may have, or to learn how something shown in the video or expressed by others might apply to one’s own life. It can prove to be a vital source in finding the help and comfort they seek.

 

The workbook has questions, suggestions, and Bible verses which can help an individual in learning how to cope with their loss. For instance, an item from the workbook might cause them to approach their loss more directly.

 

We are in the third session of our new cycle and gather each Monday morning at 10 AM for the next 10 weeks to complete the 13-week schedule. The GriefShare program has become a regular feature of the ministries supported by Trinity Baptist Church. Class participants consist of members and non-members of  Trinity and class size naturally varies from cycle to cycle depending on circumstances. Some members are so appreciative of their progress that they join in a second cycle. Two cycles per year are available at Trinity Baptist Church.