The grieving process is a journey. Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church invites those who are grieving to join with others on the same journey for support and companionship.
Mt. Calvary Church and Early Education Center has offered a grief support group since 2010. Based on the GriefShare ministry, this 10-week video series and support group is available for those grieving the loss of a loved one – at any point in their grief process, whether it is a recent loss or grief that has re-emerged due to circumstances. Participants are welcome to begin attending at any point. Each session is self-contained.
GriefShare is:
• Non-denominational but features Biblical concepts for healing from grief. Randy Buecheler, the pastor of Mt. Calvary, stated, “You don’t need to be a Christian to come to this. People do not need to be a member of our church or any other church. This is open to anybody.”
• A network of 15,000-plus churches worldwide equipped to offer these support groups. This local group is facilitated by Laurinda Lockerby, a member of Mt. Calvary who has led this group for many years with the help of Glynne Harris.
• “Specifically for people who have lost a spouse, child, brother or sister,” explained Pastor Buecheler, who ran the first class and has been a part of the GriefShare ministry ever since.
• A small group class. Every week, there is a DVD that the group watches, followed by discussion. They also use a workbook, which gives participants a chance to process their grief while formulating questions for discussion.
• Free!
Pastor Buecheler noted that the group began in 2010 after a church member lost his wife and another lost a son. The desire to have a God-centered group prompted the inception of the GriefShare support group at Mt. Calvary. He also emphasized that participants do not need to feel pressured to share anything they don’t wish to share; however, having others who share the experience of grief to listen and walk alongside of you can be very encouraging.
The teachings of the GriefShare program can also be beneficial. They also use well-known people from different segments of the Christian counseling world. On the DVDs, there are also people who share their own grief journeys.
“One of things that I have learned,” said Pastor Buecheler, “is that grief can mess with your mind and it does mess with your heart. In dealing with grief, we wonder if we are crazy and if what we are experiencing is normal. It is good to be with others on the same journey. One participant said that grief can cause you to make foolish decisions and can trigger despair and depression. Having people you can share with and having the prayers and counsel that comes through the DVDs and readings is good. We have people who have gone through the group twice.”
There are more than a dozen Christian counselors who contribute on the DVDs about their own grief experiences.
Pastor Buecheler encourages interested participants to call the church at (909) 327-5354 to make contact and get registered for the group. The new sessions will begin on Thursday, March 7 at 3:30 p.m. at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.
“We really see this as a great way to be a blessing to our community and a way to love the members of our community and help them,” said Pastor Buecheler.
Mt. Calvary is located behind Rim of the World High School, off Route 18 at 27415 School Road. For more information, visit the church’s website at mclutheran.com.
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