How can churches run The Bereavement Journey®? [Part 2]
Inner Journey powered by CMM | International // SPECIAL 07 April 2025 - #002
Inner Journey powered by CMM | International // SPECIAL 07 April 2025 - #002
How can churches run The Bereavement Journey®? [Part 2]
This is a follow up post of the earlier post: The Bereavement Journey® Training [Part 1.]
*
Monday 07 April 2025
Dear Saints of the Fellowship of Truth,
INTRODUCTION
Reflecting on my personal journey, I was led to look up Christian Bereavement courses.
This is what I was led to:
Source: https://www.thebereavementjourney.org/
The Bereavement Journey® is an award-winning* series of films and discussion groups that gently guide people bereaved at any time through the most common aspects of grief and bereavement, enabling them to process the implications for themselves and discern next steps.
Usually run by churches, the programme uniquely offers a final session on faith questions in bereavement, provided from a Christian perspective. This follows the main sessions and is optional, making The Bereavement Journey® suitable for people of any faith or none.
*winners of UK Business Awards Care Award 2024 Grief Support Programme.
***SEE EARLIER POST***
The Bereavement Journey® Training
Inner Journey powered by CMM | International // SPECIAL 07 April 2025 - #001
*
This is a follow-up post [PART 2] specifically aimed for Churches/Church leaders.
[Introduction]
The Bereavement Journey® Support
The Coronavirus pandemic has led to more than 163,000 deaths across the UK, in addition to the usual 600,000 per annum. There are many millions of people grieving at this time, and suffering delayed or complicated grief due to the restrictions.
Since the pain of bereavement tends to become acute some while after the death, ‘a tsunami of grief’ is expected over forthcoming months, which there is not the capacity to deal with. There is urgent need for much more bereavement support. Without this, millions of bereaved people in our country will face mental health and other negative outcomes.
Loss and HOPE is encouraging churches of every denomination across the UK to reach out to their communities as quickly as possible with the The Bereavement Journey®, to provide a nationwide church response to the pandemic.
The programme has been converted to be offered now online (as well as face to face when possible) and is easy to run, as all instructions and everything needed are available, including simple online training and central support.
[1] What is The Bereavement Journey Course?
[2] How can churches run the bereavement journey course?
[3] What Training is available?
Source: https://www.lossandhope.org/whats-on-offer/online-the-bereavement-journey-support/
[1] What is The Bereavement Journey®?
The Bereavement Journey® is a seven-session programme of films and discussion; a place where people can process their loss in groups with others who have experienced bereavement
It helps people with all types of bereavement (at any time) and of any faith or none, as the first 6 sessions cover general bereavement implications and the 7th session is optional, offering a Christian perspective to the faith questions often asked in loss.
Having run successfully for 25 years at Holy Trinity Brompton, it was published in early 2020 to be run widely by churches as an outreach resource, since bereaved people generally seek support.
In October 2020 its founder Jane Oundjian received an MBE for creating the course. See more here.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Bereavement Journey® was adapted for offering online as well as face to face and a range of online training and a dedicated team are available for support.
Source: https://www.lossandhope.org/what-is-the-bereavement-journey-course/
[2] How can churches run The Bereavement Journey®?
“Running The Bereavement Journey®, online or face to face, is easy.”
Everything churches need is available, including a Leader’s Guide (including Online Leaders’ guide), branded publicity materials, registration and feedback forms, sample communications and training.
All churches need to do is:
*gather a team (a host, a technical host if running online, as many people as possible to facilitate discussion groups – and, where possible, a trained counsellor for oversight – see below file for who would qualify )
ACC-Counselling-Concertina-Leaflet-2020Download
*purchase the leader’s pack (only £25 from www.thebereavementjourney.org)
*direct the team to the online training appropriate to them (see here)
*advertise in your community (also possible through The Bereavement Journey® website and the AtaLoss.org signposting website).
No knowledge is needed – whether in bereavement support or in managing the technology. All training and support is available including:
Bereavement Care Awareness (webinar training for teams)
Opportunity to help on HTB’s (or another church’s) online team (for insight and experience).
Bereavement Friendly Church (church leaders’ webinar to ensure church is accessible to the bereaved)
Association of Christians in Counselling help in finding a counsellor for the team.
Source: https://www.lossandhope.org/how-can-churches-run-the-bereavement-journey-course/
[3] The Bereavement Journey® Training
Introducing The Bereavement Journey® webinar
Free, short, and informal training sessions required for Course Leaders and Team Members in UK churches/Christian organisations, to learn what is involved and ask any questions.
More dates to follow.
2. Bereavement Friendly Church Webinar
Required for Main Course Host and Church Leaders, to ensure church is welcoming and accessible to bereaved people.
BEREAVEMENT FRIENDLY CHURCH WEBINAR
3. Bereavement Care Awareness
Care for the Family webinars recommended for all the team as a basic introduction to supporting bereaved people.
4. Course Leader Training Opportunity
Opportunity to help on AtaLoss’s national, online The Bereavement Journey® (or other regional programmes) for insight and experience. Email: info@thebereavementjourney.org
Source: https://www.lossandhope.org/the-bereavement-journey-course-training/
***SEE EARLIER POST***
The Bereavement Journey® Training
Inner Journey powered by CMM | International // SPECIAL 07 April 2025 - #001
*
[EXTRA] The potential of The Bereavement Journey® for church growth and mission
The Bereavement Journey® began 30 years ago at Holy Trinity, Brompton, and has proven very effective over the years in helping bereaved adults in all circumstances to navigate their loss. AtaLoss extended and published the programme for churches in September 2023, in a newly prescribed and packaged form. Since then, it has seen extraordinary growth, mostly by word of mouth, to over 400 locations across the UK.
Recently, we commissioned an analysis of the feedback from the first 162 programmes, which covered 22 denominations. Statistical analysis was compiled by Dr Becky Ward, Youthrive Research Consultancy.
We believe the results show that The Bereavement Journey has an important and unique contribution to make to the Church’s mission.
Even though most of the courses were new, and most leaders focus at first on supporting their own congregations, the report confirms the following impact:
The Bereavement Journey is helping bereaved adults from all age groups, gender and ethnic identity.
89% of Course Leaders report Participants attending were not previously connected to a church.
Across all courses, as many as 39% of Participants have no previous connection with a church.
At least 80% of Participants are choosing to attend the optional final Session on faith, with generally 95% of all age groups finding it helpful.
Overall, at least 66% of those not connected with church are choosing to attend the Session on faith.
And 90% of course leaders say that some or all of their Participants are interested in keeping in touch afterwards, and in attending other church activities.
In addition, Participants are described as coming to faith, deepening their faith, being baptised or confirmed.
We’re delighted that The Bereavement Journey has been recently recognised by an early day motion in Parliament and that GPs, Social Prescribers, Funeral Directors etc are regularly directing bereaved people to churches for help through The Bereavement Journey courses.
To access the full report, click here.
Source: https://www.lossandhope.org/the-potential-of-the-bereavement-journey-for-church-growth-and-mission/
[EXTRA] Mission Statistics report
This report is an analysis of the first feedback received from The Bereavement Journey® revised programme which began in 2023, specifically on the mission impact.
View the full report here
Source: https://www.thebereavementjourney.org/mission-statistics
***
***SEE EARLIER POST*** [PART 1.]
The Bereavement Journey® Training
Inner Journey powered by CMM | International // SPECIAL 07 April 2025 - #001
*
***
RESOURCES:
CMM | Inner Journey: https://www.youtube.com/@InnerJourney-h9f
