Six Sessions - Wednesdays 1PM (Beginning October 11)  

In a raw and inspiring reflection on grief--selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year--a mourning sister processes her personal story of loss by exploring the history of bereavement customs.    When Amanda Held Opelt suffered a season of loss--including three miscarriages and the unexpected death of her sister, New York Times bestselling writer Rachel Held Evans--she was confronted with sorrow she didn't know to how face.    Her search for answers led her to discover that generations past embraced rituals that served as vessels for pain and aided in the process of grieving and healing. Today, many of these traditions have been lost as religious practice declines, cultures amalgamate, death is sanitized, and pain is averted. Opelt explores the history of human grief practices and how previous generations have journeyed through periods of suffering.  The class meets in the Adult Education Room on the lower level of the church and will be led by Pastor Shirley.   Books will be available at church and cost $15.