Throughout the year we hold  “Gatherings for Support.”

These are held in the Church Parlor at Central Church and are facilitated by Pastor Rich.

Mutual Support, Strength & Insights for the Journey

What happens at a grief support group?

Well, we often start out with a light discussion question, so we get to know one another better. Then we do a “check-in.” This is a chance for anyone who wishes to share. Sharing of course is optional. Some folks choose not to share especially if it’s their first time in the group. People often describe what the journey of grief has felt like recently. Often folks hear their own experiences expressed by another – “That’s exactly how I’ve felt! Thank You!” Following our check-in the facilitator shares a hand-out of quotes. Some are inspirational, others are peoples’ own description of grief. We close with the Lord’s Prayer. The gatherings typically last 1 hr. 15 min.

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.”
– Helen Keller

Grief shared is grief diminished.  – Rabbi Grollman

“You have to wear out your grief like an old suit, until it is threadbare.”
– author unknown

 “Grieving is a necessary passage and a difficult transition to finally
letting go of sorrow – it is not a permanent rest stop.” 
– Dodinsky

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but
the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach,
the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing.”
– C.S. Lewis

“Finally, a remarkable thing begins to happen. You notice that for short
periods the hurt is not so great. This is the beginning of your healing.”
– Sharon Morris