Grief is a confusing, tangled and painful process of discovering how to live, feel, cope and heal in the midst of coming to terms with loss. No one should have to face grief alone. That’s why Liberty’s Lutheran Congregational Services is here to help.
LCS’s Journeys through Grief program is transforming lives, and in the case of one man, helping him to heal through art. Painting had been a great source of joy for Richard Walter. But when his wife, Jeanine, passed four years ago, he stopped painting altogether, overwhelmed with sorrow and the pain of his great loss.
Enrolled in our Journeys through Grief group in Shillington, PA earlier this year, Richard found the strength and inspiration to start painting again. At the fifth of six sessions, he shared one of his works with the group. Richard explained how he spent 15 hours creating what he calls “Frost on the Meadow,” compelled to use a new style of painting.
“I knew God was the artist, not me. Even with her loss, the past reached out and created newness, a depth of feeling, color and softness which created a feeling of love and closure. It seems so simple to use color and brightness so soft. I felt it was not me but the hand of God that produced this [painting] for Jeanine.”
Richard’s description of his painting and newfound happiness captures the transformative power of the faith-based grief groups offered by LCS.
LCS’s ministries empower congregations to help the most vulnerable in our communities. Journeys through Grief offers a structured group process for those who are grieving guided by a bereavement professional and grounded in the Christian faith. We give thanks to the congregations and funeral homes sponsoring these groups, covering the costs of the program, so that those who are grieving attend at no cost.
