Bereavement

Our Mission

The Bereavement Ministry is a ministry of consolation to offer God's healing love through emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual comfort. Through each other, this ministry offers strength, compassion, peace and love manifesting the glory of God within us. This Ministry is a source of blessing as we reach out to our brothers & sisters experiencing a loss.

The parish of St Timothy is a worshiping community possessing many gifts and talents from the Holy Spirit. We strive to make the power of Jesus' love more visible to our members and be a sign of God's presence in the world.

Who may join? Anyone of any faith, age or culture. We all grieve and all are welcome. Why? Because in a few months after your loss, people will expect you to be over it. The grief process never ends & the best way to help yourself is to talk about it. Doctors recommend support groups for a reason, to vent it out. If you don't and another loss occurs, you will have a harder time dealing with multiple losses.

Come anytime when you are ready. Private counseling is also available. Please call the Church office at 813- 968-1077.

MEETINGS: Our meetings are held MOST 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in classroom #3. Click here for schedule

Our six Topic sessions are as follows:

1. Defining Grief, Bereavement, Mourning. addressing health concerns. how men grieve differently, etc.

2. Unresolved Grief, and it's ramifications.

3. Guilt, good & bad.

4. Fear and Anxiety

5. Steps to Survival

6 Rebuilding after Loss & Handling Holidays, Anniversaries, & Birthdays.

These structured classes are from Sept. to December & again from January to April, closing with a social gathering. There are no instant solutions, no easy answers, and there is no timetable for recovery. Grief is a long hard process, but it is also a very natural human process. The sharing helps the bereaved to understand their feelings and reactions normal. We all grieve differently.

Annually, Brenda Covini holds an all day seminar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St Timothy, as well as various other churches, which consists of a video & personal workbook /journal. The Seminar is free, the journal is $15. and yours to keep. The Seminar deals with the losses you have had from birth to now! From leaving the womb to the tomb!

Losses come in a variety of ways. The 3 most common losses are death or divorce, the loss of a job, and moving because of flood, fire or job transfer. The most important thing is to talk about it, so you can heal and move on.

The Counselors: St Timothy has 3 Certified Grief Counselors, certified with the American Academy of Bereavement to better serve you: JoAnn Pilawski, Marilyn Hoffman R.N., and Brenda Covini who is also a Spiritual Director and trains grief counselors. She also volunteers with Hospice and prepares Funeral Liturgy.

Loss & Hope Support
2010 ~ 2011

We meet on Most Monday’s  at 7:30 p.m. in Classroom #3
Join us for Sharing, Caring & Learning!

Sept. 13                Introduction & Self Nurturing
Sept. 27               Grief, Bereavement, & Mourning
Oct 4                    Unresolved Grief
Oct. 18                 Guilt
Nov. 1                  Fear & Anxiety
Nov. 15                Steps to Survival Holiday’s, Birthdays & Anniversary’s
Dec. 6                  Rebuilding after Loss
Dec 20                 Social, set by group
         
Happy New Year  2011

Jan. 10                Introduction & Self Nurturing
Jan. 24                Grief, Bereavement, & Mourning     
Feb.  7                Unresolved Grief
Feb. 28               Guilt
Mar.  7                Fear & Anxiety
Mar. 21               Steps to Survival Holiday’s, Birthdays & Anniversary’s
April  4                Rebuilding after Loss
April 18               Social, set by group

Happy Easter - April 24th