Each Sunday our parish worship ends with the words "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord" One way in which some of us are called to love and serve the Lord is in supporting those in our community who have been bereaved.
The Bereavement Support Group has thirteen members, all of whom have been trained by Accord, an organisation sponsored by the Diocese of Gloucester and which runs courses and workshops for groups in parishes to encourage and help them take a more active role in parish life. The members of the Group have been trained to understand the needs of those suffering loss whatever their age, through either death or break-down in relationships, and how these needs might be met. A support person is not expected to give formal counselling to the bereaved, but provides a caring response to a normal difficulty that most people experience at some time in their life. The support person will be able to offer the opportunity to talk about what has happened, to allow the bereaved person to express their feelings and discuss the problems which are now being encountered. The primary function is that of a listener, not analyst or giver of advice.
The Bereavement Group exists to support any in our parish who have been bereaved. If you, or anyone you know in the parish is in need in this way, please contact the Parish Office.