BIRMINGHAM, AL – Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church will hold a panel discussion on Sunday, Dec. 15, to help those grieving a loss during the holiday season.
The event, Grief and the Holidays, is free and will be held at 4 p.m. at the church, 2135 Jefferson Avenue S.W.
Panelists include the Rev. Michael Wesley Sr., Senior Pastor of Greater Shiloh and author of the new book, Everybody Deserves a Good Funeral; Birmingham City Councilman Jay Roberson, who in 2011 initiated his 100 Days of No Violence campaign in the wake of a series of homicides involving teens and young adults; Carolyn Johnson, founder of The Parents Against Violence Foundation in 2004 after her son was killed at a birthday party in 2003; Moneka Thompson, a UAB chaplain; and Wendy Walters, a grief counselor at UAB.
Every week there are names of people in the church who have experienced or are facing the loss of someone they love. The death of a loved one can cause tremendous grief, and the holidays often compound the experience of loss to an almost insurmountable feeling, Wesley said.
With the holiday season underway, a grieving person is likely to be feeling the effects of missing their loved one, along with having to deal with the holiday music, shopping, family gatherings and general enthusiastic cheer. Support for the griever is all the more important, Wesley said.
“It’s open to the public,” Wesley said. “We certainly want to invite anyone who may have lost a loved one in the last couple of years because people may be at different points in the grieving cycle, and we certainly would like to talk about that and help them through that process.”
Wesley said loss also can come in other ways, including losing a job, losing a home, or ending a relationship.
“There are a number of reasons people feel the blues during this time of year,” Wesley said. “We would like to offer support and tips to help people during this difficult time.”
The church also will hold a candlelight vigil following the discussion in honor of loss loved ones and to help in the grieving process.
Wesley will share from his vast personal experience and research on the universal experience of dying, death and funerals. He also will have a book signing following the event.
Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church has been a cornerstone in the Birmingham community since May 3, 1891. The church has grown dramatically within the last 10 years to more than 1,200 members under the leadership of Dr. Michael W. Wesley who has been the pastor for 27 years. Greater Shiloh’s mission is to reach, teach, and baptize throughout the world, beginning in its community, fulfilling the Great Commission by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, until Jesus returns. For more information about Greater Shiloh, please visit www.greatershiloh.org or call 205-925-5972.
