By Dwell Grief Ministry Coordinator John Montgomery
The end-of-year holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve) can be the most wonderful, joyous, and hopeful times of the year. But many times it is our family and friends who give the holidays special meaning. So after the death of a loved one, holiday celebrations can go from joyous occasions to tedious events that must be survived.
But there is hope! The Dwell Grief Ministry will provide a 90-minute workshop, Navigating Holiday Grief, that will help individuals not only to "survive the holidays," but to find strength, healing, and tools to move forward through the deep pain of grief.
The workshop is Sunday, November 14th at 1:30 pm in the Dwell Warehouse Auditorium (600 Oakland Park Ave). Masks will be required and appropriate social distancing practiced. An encore presentation will be offered on Wednesday, November 17th at 7:00 pm on Zoom.
This event can be a great opportunity to reach out to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members who are in grief. It allows people in the local community to be aware of the kind of practical care they can receive from our fellowship. If someone you know would benefit from this workshop, please consider coming with them for support.
While no simple guidelines exist that will make the holidays painless, this workshop provides many practical, hope-inspiring ideas to help deal with the many challenges that come this time of year. The workshop presents a Biblical perspective on grief, suffering, and trust in God. It features practical suggestions and reassurance through interviews with counselors, grief experts, and others who have experienced the pain of losing a loved one.
Grieving takes energy and you may not be up to the physical and mental challenges of the many activities in which you usually participate. You may find yourself in social situations that now are uncomfortable because of your different circumstances. During this workshop, you will learn ways to minimize stress and lessen the likelihood that you will be caught off guard by difficult situations.
There is no cost. To register or ask any questions, please email grief@dwellcc.org.