The Gift of Grief
St. Peter's parishioner Dr. Linita Mathew's world was shattered seven years ago, when her beloved father, Eapen Mathew, passed away. She struggled to deal with the loss, and eventually discovered the power of storytelling as a channel for her grief. The impact was so profound that she wrote a book chronicling her journey – The Revelations of Eapen – and she's facilitating a series of sessions at St. Peter's this fall, to help others navigate their own grief stories.
"Grieving means learning how to respond to the rough and relentless waves of loss, and grief reflects the love we carry for those lost," says Linita. "The Gift of Grief is a companion support group that aims to use the power of storytelling to shed light on the tragedy and beauty in our grief stories."
Using The Revelations of Eapen, attendees will share their experiences with the prominent themes of loss, such as experiencing grief illiteracy, a lack of long-term support and empathy, and continuing bonds.
The program will be held at St. Peter’s from October 7-December 16, every other Monday from 6-7 p.m. Attendees are asked to purchase a copy of the supplemental novel resource guiding the sessions. This can be done at the church on September 29 and October 6 after the service for $45, or online through Indigo.
All are welcome to attend these sessions to support healing and reconciling loss. Linita is allowing attendees to register as late as October 15, even if they can't attend the October 7 introductory session.