The grief puzzle
by Ron McCallum— For a year now, I’ve been thinking about grief. Not just my own grief, but collective grief from the pandemic, societal grief over unjust systems, and the…
Hide and seek: What Advent taught me about grief
…a gift. Yes, grief follows at the end of a loved one’s earthly life. Grief is also what happens in the intermediate time. And surprisingly enough, grief is also a…
One will be left: There is space for grief at Christmas
…an experience with grief. Yet over and over in my heart and my mind I could hear and feel Javier urging me to decorate. I imagined him laughing and saying:…
Loss takes many forms. Grieve them all.
…me that we carry some limiting beliefs about grief and loss. First, grief is a depressing topic. Second, grief is only about death. Loss takes many forms, however—and isn’t just…
Sorrow comes when we least expect it
…this entire issue a valuable grief resource for you and anyone you may wish to share Gather with. “The ache of grief”—the title of session two (see p. 20) of…
Journey? Lent is more of a holy meander.
…of jello- thick suspended grief. Lent and grief will probably never dis-entangle for me. After Beth died, while my sister healed, while Lent marched forward, I started walking. I didn’t…
How we grieve varies from person to person. There is no right way.
…no need to control grief. We can let the feelings ebb and flow like waves. It is normal to have times of deep grief as well as times when you…
Good poetry and good music take us where we need to go
by Liv Larson Andrews– Grief knows us before we know grief. Our bodies usually know it first. Deep in our bodies, we long for a community to share—and sing—our grief…
Winter 2026-27: “Amos & Micah: Prophets of grief and amazement,” by the Rev. Heidi Haverkamp
Session one: Amos of Tekoa What can we learn from the prophets? Amos was a simple farmer speaking uncomfortable truths to his nation: to lament their sin and greed, but…
Why is it so hard to ask for, to receive help?
…help? Why do I answer so quickly, “I’m fine; we’re good” in these days of grief? During the hospital days, when we were taking shifts to help out and still…
