COVID Pandemic Creates Collaborative Grief Ministry
Reformation Lutheran Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Carlton Hills Lutheran Church, in Santee, California announce the formation of a collaborative Zoom ministry for those surviving the death of a loved one. Beginning Tuesday, September 29, and continuing through December 22, 2020, these two ELCA congregations are co-hosting a Zoom cycle of the 13-week faith-based ministry, “GriefShare.” The sessions will be held on-line (ZOOM) from 6:30-8:15 PM Pacific Time.
Register
Those interested in registering for this new GriefShare group should visit: www.griefshare.org. Click on the “find a group” button and enter the location of “Las Vegas, Nevada” or zip code “89104.” It is listed under “Reformation Lutheran Church” in Las Vegas, Nevada. The cost is $15 to register and includes a Participant Book. For more information, contact: Pastor Marta Poling Schmitt at: prmartaschmitt@gmail.com.
GriefShare is a Christian support group and seminar program produced by Church Initiative. Used by 15,000 congregations globally, it leads those grieving through weekly sessions that provide comfort, answers to their questions, and hope on their grief recovery journey. The weekly seminar topics include:
Is This Normal?
Challenges of Grief
The Journey of Grief – Part One
The Journey of Grief – Part Two
Grief and Your Relationships
Why?
Guilt and Anger
Complicating Factors
Stuck
Lessons of Grief – Part One
Lessons of Grief – Part Two
Heaven
What Do I Live for Now?
““As a parish pastor, I found GriefShare to be an essential partner in the grief recovery process for my parishioners. Then, when my husband died six years ago, my daughter and I participated in several groups to help us through the pain of his death.”
Having been on both sides of GriefShare, Pastor Poling Schmitt believes that it is a very helpful part of the grief recovery process for Christians and a vital ministry for congregations to offer in their communities.
With the COVID-19 pandemic already taking the lives of 200,000 Americans, Reformation Lutheran Church and Carlton Hills Lutheran Church wanted to provide extra support to those who’ve lost a loved one to death. Co-facilitator, Joseph Rhome, a lay leader at Carlton Hills Lutheran Church is especially concerned about those grieving the death of a child.
“I know what it is like to lose your child. It is devastating. When my daughter was murdered 20 years ago, it took me a long time to work through the grieving process. God is the Healer who can make that happen.”
