Starting on Monday, August 21 - and continuing every Monday for the next 13 weeks - The Salvation Army of Michigan City will offer a new way to serve those in need. The Salvation Army has partnered with St. John United Church of Christ to offer Grief Share, a grief support meeting that will take place at The Salvation Army, 1201 Franklin Street, on Mondays at 6:30 p.m.

These classes aim to help those who are struggling through the grief process after the death of a loved one.

Classes will be facilitated by Major Becky Simmons of The Salvation Army along with Pastor Bill Fine of St. John United Church of Christ.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in the issue of grief and it is becoming more prominent in our community,” said Major Becky Simmons of The Salvation Army. “We believe in meeting the needs of our community, and Pastor Fine and I believe that offering this service will make our community healthier and stronger.”

These grief support meetings are free and open to the public. Registration is not necessary. Topics that will be discussed include the “normal” grieving process, the grief journey, loneliness and sadness, self-care, fear, anger, regrets, friendship, questions for God, hope, and resilience.

Meetings will feature a different video each week, produced by Grief Share. Following the short video, participants will use a workbook to further dive into each topic and have a discussion in a group setting. “This is a great time to ask questions and share some of our experiences with each other,” Simmons said, adding that joining in the discussion is not mandatory.

“If folks choose to share with the group, they are more than welcome - or they can choose to process things internally or have one-on-one discussions,” she said. “It’s all about learning about grief and each of us processing it for ourselves.”

This program is faith-based, but Simmons said people of all beliefs and faiths are invited to attend, and meetings are open to anyone who is struggling with grief.

For more information, contact The Salvation Army of Michigan City at (219) 874-6885.