Seniors Ministries

Workshop: Grief-Scriptural

The Christmas season is often one of the most emotionally charged seasons of the year. People's expectations focus on good cheer and plans to be with loved ones. Yet many people face the loss of loved ones, giving the season a depth of emotions ranging from deep sadness, anger, depression, and loss to gratitude.

This workshop is offered as a resource to help those who wish to share feelings of loss and as a model of how that sharing might happen.

By Bev Brazier

Introduction

Participants sit in a circle. They have been asked to bring a Bible, or one has been provided for them.

There is one empty chair in the circle.

A small table in the centre of the circle holds a candle and a closed Bible.

The leader begins by lighting a candle and saying, "Let this candle be for us a sign of the presence of the Holy One, even in our losses."

Then the Bible is opened, and the leader says, "Let this open Bible be a sign for us that God's Word is a Living Word, ready and eager to bless us tonight."

Explain that the empty chair is a reminder that not everyone is free to come to such a gathering. Ask everyone to take some time in silence to mentally place on that chair someone they wish could be there: someone who is currently living with grief, or someone who has died and is with them there in spirit.

Offer a chance to go around the circle, everyone introducing themselves if they choose, sharing whom they have placed on that chair.

Explain that this evening the group is going to reflect on their losses and experience their grief in the light of scripture passages. You will use a method of encountering the scriptures that involves silence, imaginationm and intuition, and people will be free to engage the passage in whatever way seems right for them.

Scripture Passage: 2 Kings 2:1-15

Explain that the passage will be read several times. The first time, the group is to listen to it, eyes closed. Then there will be some silence. Then they will be asked to respond briefly, saying how it spoke to them, particularly in light of their grief.

Read the passage.

Leave some silence. Gauge this yourself, but five full minutes is often a good amount.

Ask people to share something that spoke to them as they heard the passage. Leave some silence once everyone has spoken.

Explain that the passage will be read again. Ask the group to listen again and note where they imagine themselves in the passage. Are they watching as they would a movie? Are they in the scene? If so, where? Do they identify with one character? If so, which one?

Read the passage.

Silence.

Ask people to share where they found themselves in the scene. Then do another round of "If you were a character in this story who would you be, and why?"

Silence.

Explain that the passage will be read again. This time, the group is asked to follow along in their own Bibles. Following the silence, they will be asked to share one phrase from the reading that speaks to them this time, without explanation and just saying the phrase.

Repeat the process, this time asking everyone to choose only one word.

Finally, repeat the process, this time listening with eyes closed. This is the final time. Then ask the group to answer the following question: "What do you think God is saying to you/asking of you in this passage?"

Closing Remarks by Leader

We are, all of us, each character in this story at some point in our lives. Sometimes we are the ones who have to leave. When this is so, a good question is the question of Elijah to his friend, the one he had to leave behind: "What can I do for you before I am taken from you?"

(Light a tealight.) Let the Word shine for us when we are like Elijah, when we are the ones who must go. Even then the Light of God is with us.

Sometimes we are the ones left behind. Like Elisha, we cling and say, "I will not leave you." Like Elisha, we don't want to talk about the impending separation. Like Elisha, we take what is left behind after the loss and lash out, saying, "Where is God?"

(Light a tealight.) Let the Word shine for us when we are like Elisha, when we cling, when we deny, when we lash out. Even then the Light of God is with us.

Sometimes, we are like the prophets, who insisted on searching for their loved one. We look and look, knowing they are not there, but the searching has to happen until we return and say, "They are not here." Only then do we know fully that in fact, they ARE with us, in a new way.

(Light a tealight.) Let the Word shine for us when we are like the prophets, when we search and yearn and ache for how things used to be. Even then, the Light of God is with us.

Go in peace, my friends. The Light of God is with us. Amen.