Sharing our grief helps us find the hope of Christ and cling to Him through all the difficulty of loss.

What is a Grief Partner?
A Grief Partner is someone who has experienced a loss in the past (at least a year since the loss) and is willing to walk alongside, or partner with, someone else who is experiencing a loss.

Why have Grief Partners?
Grief Partners is a ministry that seeks to help others through the loss of a loved one. This is a very difficult time that is made a little easier if you have someone who can share it with you. It helps to know others have had similar experiences, feelings, etc., and have made it through. The grief process can last one to two years and grief comes in waves. It helps to have someone who will ride those waves with you.

How does it work?
Your grief partner will contact you on a regular basis to check on you and pray with you. When your grief partner asks how you are, be honest. They don’t want the standard answers. They truly want to know how you are coping, feeling, and doing.

They may ask you for some important dates, such as birthdays, anniversary dates, or special holidays. These dates will represent times when your grief may be extra hard, and they are times your grief partner will want to be praying for you and checking on you. If there is an extra special date, holiday, etc. that you shared with your loved one, please let your grief partner know about it.

Please feel free to talk about your loved one with your grief partner. Share your favorite memories, special times, and things that make you think of your loved one. Sharing the “story” of our loss and our loved one is part of the grief process. It takes many, many times of sharing to help with healing. As grief partners, we want to help you heal.

Our Grief Partners are not Licensed Counselors, but are listening friends. They are members of First Baptist Hurst. They have applied to be part of this ministry and have attended training on grief. They have a heart for helping others through grief because they have experience it themselves.

Grief Ministry Opportunities:

• Grief and Loss Class
  We offer this 3-week class in November each year for anyone who has experienced a loss. Dr. Joy McInvale, of the Family Counseling and Wellness Center, leads this class for us and helps us with the process of grief.
• Grief Share
  This group begins meeting after the Grief and Loss class concludes. If needed, the group meets twice a month to participate together in a video series that helps us learn about the grief process and cope with our grief.
• Grief Partners
  Caring people who have experienced grief, “partnering” others through the grief of the loss of a loved one.

If you are interested in our Grief Partners ministry, please contact us.