Farmington SDA Church

Loss can be devastating. In the midst of the pain, is it possible to uncover the meaning of life, the purpose of death, and the value of grief. What difference could the answers make in your life?

The Grief Sessions is a six-session course sharing scientifically researched, Bible-based, and people-proven ways to turn loss into living again. If you are grieving or want to help someone who is, these sessions are for you. 

Session Topics

October 14th: The Journey Begins

We explore what grief actually is and how the six major symptoms of grief relate to your experience.  Since most people exhibit some or all of these symptoms, the purpose of this session is to see how to face them in healthy ways.

October 21st: Regime Change

You'll discover the value of leaning into the pain of grief.  There are seven important truths in the session that can help you.  For those who have or will face anticipatory grief–the stress-filled, end of life period–there will be many decisions to make, including DNRs (“Do not resuscitate”  directives), life insurance and other coverages, and the power of attorney.   It's a time for knowing what to plan for and honoring your loved one’s wishes.

October 28th: And God Felt Grief

You will see how bargaining–the deal making we do in hopes of changing an outcome–can positively and negatively affect the grief process.  In addition, the Bible reveals surprising insights about why we're here, why we die, and why we must grieve.  These insights can profoundly influence how successful we grieve.  This session concludes with Part 1 of “The Unique Grief of Suicide”.

November 4th: The Ugly Side of Grief

This session confronts many of the harmful, unhealthy obstacles people in grief sometimes put in their own path that make the process exponentially more challenging.  Handling triggers– people and events that trigger sudden and uncontrollable emotional reactions–is an important part of working through your grief.  Safety mechanisms can help, so the session explores these options.

November 11th: Preachers, Pals, & Platitudes

You will see how common platitudes can be hurtful and discouraging.  When shared with the grieving, these words can sometimes ignite a range of negative and unhelpful emotions that worsen the pain of grief.  The session gives specific advice on what to say and what not to say.   The conclusion of “The Unique Grief of Suicide” ends this session, where you will see examples of suicide in the Bible and find out what the Word has to say about it.

November 18th: The Right Stuff

You will discover four important attributes and how they relate to grief–knowledge about healthy grieving, the initiative to keep moving forward on the journey, perseverance towards peace, and bravery to stand against our demons.  Armed with these attributes, we can find our way towards a new future, not the one we wanted, but the one we must nevertheless live.  This “acceptable”  future offers a new life after loss.

You can register below by completing the form.

Register for Grief Sessions - Oct 14-Nov 18 2023