Holidays Grief Seminars Return
to Allegany County
to Allegany County
A Scio church again is offering Surviving the Holidays seminars for those having experienced the death of a loved one, are trying to cope with separation or divorce or have children struggling with any type of loss.
Knights Creek Church will host the three different events at its location at 2987 Knights Creek Road (County Road 9) and at the new Hope Center of Allegany County churches at 4194 Bolivar Road - Suite 5, at Wellsville. It also is seeking other locations in various parts of the county.
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| Pastor Carl Kemp of Knights Creek Church at Scio, center, discusses three upcoming holiday seminars with facilitators Casey and Anita Jones. The activities are designed to aid individuals, families and others in coping with holiday angst resulting from separation or divorce, the death of a loved one, or attempting to aid children grieving all types of losses, even years later. |
GriefShare Surviving the Holidays will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, November 25, at the church, followed immediately by Help Grieving Children for adults.
The same seminars will be held Wednesday, December 5, starting at 2 p.m. at the Hope Center, with DivorceCare Surviving the Holidays being held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the same location.
Pastor Carl Kemp said the church decided to offer the seminars for the first time last year due to a void in the area in helping individuals and families who may be struggling from such losses, even many years later. The sessions also are open to anyone wanting to learn more about how to aid family members and friends who struggle during the holidays without actually creating more pain for them.
The church will seek to extend these opportunities by working with churches and organizations in other areas of the county, he said.
GriefShare and DivorceCare are internationally-acclaimed Christ-centered seminars that are open to persons of any faith, the pastor said. They include a DVD presentation, combined with discussion conducted in a non-judgmental environment in which individuals are able to express their feelings, if they desire, rather than avoiding and anguishing over them.
Some of the nation's best known Christian authors, counselors and pastors, many having experienced their own losses, provide insight on how to handle unsettling situations that occur during the holidays. An accompanying survival guide provides many tips on how to deal with various circumstances.
Casey and Anita Jones will facilitate the groups, both having experienced trauma associated with divorce and deaths of loved ones, along with impacts on children
There is a $5 fee for the Surviving the Holidays survival guide, with no cost for the Help Grieving Children seminar.
Further information and required registration are available from Casey Jones at bps461@msn.com or (484) 435-0503 and at www.facebook.com/
Pastor Kemp said the seminars reflect an ongoing desire by Knights Creek to serve as “the little country church with the heart of Christ.”
The church also offers other public activities during the week, including a 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. weekday community prayer gathering, Celebrate Victory|Celebrate Recovery support on Saturday nights to aid with issues of loss, isolation, depression and other types of hurts hangups, habits and struggles, a free Community Dinner after 11 a.m. Sunday worship services, and free music lessons for children and adults.
