The video above is from a service that will be held each Friday during shelter-in-place to bless those who are mourning. You can watch it live on Facebook (Fridays, 11am/PST) or wait for it to be posted here. #griefingroups
Below is the information from the service and some links to additional resources.
Welcome:-
We gather here in your presence God, in our need and bringing with us the needs of the world.We come to you, for you come to us in Jesus, and you know by experience what human life is like.We come with our faith and with our doubts; we come with our hopes and with our fears.We come as we are, because you invite us to come; and you have promised never to turn us away.[words of welcome - invitation to take a few breaths]
Reading of the Week: -
“You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.” ~ Anne Lamott
Self Care Ritual: -
The tips below, from How to Write a Letter to a Lost Loved One:
Here are some good first lines to start a letter to your deceased loved one.
As I grieve for you, I feel…
When you died, I had to…
In your last years of life…
When you were alive…
I want you to know…
Looking back now…
You were…
This year has been so hard for me…
Somehow you still influence my life…
Here are some good things to include in your letter to your lost loved one.
Happy memories
Funny moments
Words of advice
How they changed your life
The influence they had on you
How they helped you in a tough situation
Difficult times that created growth
Life lessons
Things you wish you’d said or did (any regrets)
Anything you feel guilty about
A secret
Things that have happened since they passed away
What they meant to you
Things you won’t forget
Additional Resources on Grief Letters
Prayer -
Blessing
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you
.Live forgiven, ᶧ claim your wholeness and go in peace.