A Place to Find Healing
The Grief Support Group is provided for anyone who is experiencing grief from the recent or not-so-recent death of a loved one. The Grief Support Group will provide persons an opportunity to understand the grief experience and a safe, supportive community in which to express and explore their grief. Persons can share their sorrow, experiences, struggles, concerns, fears, anger, joy, victories, hopes, and dreams to the level of their own comfort.
Meetings will be in a relaxed, informal setting and will last up to 1½ hours. Short talks and printed materials will provide input for discussion and sharing. The needs of the group will always take precedence over any planned agenda. There is no cost for participation in the group.
Co-facilitators are the Rev. Bob Cantrell and Gielda Reese. During seminary and following graduation, Bob completed five units (fifteen months) of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in hospital chaplaincy at Grady Medical Center in Atlanta. This experience deepened his awareness of and sensitivity to the grief and loss we experience not only in illness, injury, and death but also in the grief inherent in the “natural” transitions we face throughout our human life cycle. As a United Methodist pastor for almost forty years, he has been with many parents who have lost children. Gielda is a retired teacher, musician, and member of the church choir. Several years ago she lost her 14 year-old daughter to cancer.
Groups are typically offered three times per year. For more information about the next Grief Support group, contact our church office at 865-483-4357 or email Rev. Jenny Caughman (jcaughman@fumcor.org).
For Parents and Grandparents Who Have Lost Children
A new grief support group for parents and grandparents who have lost children began in June, co-facilitated by the Rev. Bob Cantrell and Gielda Reese. The meetings are held on the second Monday of each month, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Parents and grandparents can find support and guidance in this group as they face this devastating loss together.
Groups are typically offered three times per year. For more information about the next Grief Support group, contact our church office at 865-483-4357 or email Rev. Jenny Caughman (jcaughman@fumcor.org).