Encountering Loss & Grief
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2022
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
As we find ourselves entering year three of a global pandemic, many of us are navigating loss and grief.
Saturday, March 5, 2022
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
As we find ourselves entering year three of a global pandemic, many of us are navigating loss and grief. Although we certainly experience grief as a result of the death of a loved one, it is also a normal response to other losses in our lives. At times it may be difficult to identify grief as it presents in different ways such as sorrow, anger, numbness, or something else. Do you find yourself mourning the life you were living in 2020, missed milestones, or certain hopes you had for the future? You are invited to join us for a day of being in community and encountering loss and grief.
Offerings include theological reflection, story telling, art, labyrinth, circle of trust, and worship. Scroll down for detailed descriptions and schedule.
Registration and Details
Advance registration required. Open to youth and adults, all are welcome to attend. Lunch will be provided. Suggested donation of $20 to cover the cost of lunch and materials. Childcare available by request through registration.
This is not a therapeutic offering or group therapy. Those resources are available in our wider community; we are happy to help connect you with service providers, but are not equipped to facilitate counseling services directly.
Schedule & Workshops
Schedule
9:00 – 9:10 am
Welcome
9:10 – 9:30 am
Framing
9:30 – 10:15 am
The Grief of Isolation
10:15 – 10:30 am
Break
10:30 – 11:30 am
The Third Thing
11:30 – 12:00 pm
Picture Book Doorways
12:00 – 12:30 pm
Lunch
12:30 – 1:15 pm
My Story
1:15 – 1:45 pm
The Painting Table
1:45 – 2:00 pm
Closing Prayers
Framing
Dr. Michael Hollomon, MD
We will start our day with a few words about how to recognize signs of grief and loss, encouragement that we can all face our grief and loss, and the value of seeking professional help.
The Grief of Isolation
The Rev. Evan D. Garner
The pandemic has forced us to withdraw from many of our social support networks. The loss of friends has not only made it harder to process our own grief but has also become a grief in itself. Our faith offers resources for reframing our isolation and provides lifelines of hope in difficult times.
The Painting Table
The Rev. Adelyn Tyler
Inspired by The Painting Table: A Journal of Loss and Joy by Roger Hutchinson, this workshop will engage grief from in a creative space—at the painting table. The experience of the painting table allows us to use art supplies to encounter, depict, and externalize some of the loss and grief we store inside our bodies. The goal is not to create a specific picture or even to create something we think of as beautiful art. Instead we will set an intention or ask ourselves a question and see what we create using the materials in front of us. No art experience is needed; a simple willingness and openness to the process is all you need. Messiness welcome!
Picture Book Doorways
Samantha Clare
No matter our age, children’s picture books on grief and loss can be an entry point for encountering our own experience. Together we will read a selection of stories and consider what is stirred up within ourselves in response.
The Third Thing
The Rev. Suzanne Stoner
Through a simple practice developed by Parker Palmer for the Center for Courage and Renewal, we will listen for the wisdom and guidance of the soul as it responds to a third thing. Often a poem, story, piece of music, or work of art, can give voice to our soul's reality at a pace and depth we are able to handle—sometimes inwardly in silence, sometimes aloud in community. This practice is gentle and there is no expectation to share personal insights or implications. The gift is yours alone.
My Story
The Rev. Kathy McGregor
There is power in sharing our stories, hearing our own stories told back to us, and listening to the experiences of others. In triads participants will have the opportunity to tell and hear personal stories of loss and grief.
Resources
Support Groups
Walking the Mourners Path
St. Paul's will offer this series in the near future. Contact Suzanne for more information.
