Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church associate pastor for congregational care Margaret Ferguson, left, and church member Cathy Brown are preparing for the “Surviving the Holidays” seminar to be held at the church Sunday, Nov. 3.The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones, and if you’ve recently lost someone you care about, what was once a fun tradition can turn into a trigger for sadness and grief.
Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church is offering help for those dealing with the loss of a loved one during the holiday season through a seminar called “Surviving the Holidays” Sunday, Nov. 3 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The church requests that those interested in participating in the free seminar register by Oct. 30.
“We realize the holidays are a very difficult time for someone who’s lost someone,” said Margaret Ferguson, associate pastor for congregational care at SMPC. “It makes the loss more poignant when you’re used to sitting around the table sharing traditions.”
Church member Cathy Brown lost her mother in 2010, then lost her son two weeks before Christmas that same year.
“I never thought about the holidays being difficult with grief until I went through that process,” said Brown, who has been a leader in the Grief Share program at SMPC since its inception two years ago.
While the full Grief Share program lasts 12 weeks, the one-day Surviving the Holidays seminar allows participants to get an introduction to Grief Share and receive information that could help guide them through a difficult time, said Ferguson.
Participants will be shown a video featuring advice from different experts from a Christian perspective as well as comments from others who have been through the process on how to move forward in one’s grief and how to prepare for possible grief triggers that may arise during the holidays. The video will be followed by a group discussion and question-and-answer session, Ferguson said.
“I think it will help them to have joy during the holidays,” said Brown, adding that many people experiencing grief are so overwhelmed that they do not know how to handle it. “They’ll get a sense that what they’re feeling is normal and get some great tools to help them make the most of the holiday season that’s coming up.”