Welcome to GriefShare ministry! You are about to get started in serving others in a rewarding, impactful way. Wondering what to do first? These 6 steps will give you a clear understanding of how to host GriefShare in your church.
Step 1 – Review your leader’s guide
Flip through the leader’s guide that came in your kit. You’ll have a good overview of what a weekly group meeting looks like and how to host. Take a look at the weekly session agendas, the discussion questions, and the full participant guide in the back. You’ll also find a note-taking outline to use while viewing the video.
Step 2 - Watch this introduction video
Step 3 – Explore the LeaderZone
Everything you need to host a group is found here. You’ll find tools for group management, promotion, hosting an online group, training volunteers, self-care, and more. Be sure to visit the forum, library, and resources sections to find valuable tips and downloads for leading your group!
Step 4 – Watch the leader training videos
This series of 2- to 8-minute videos prepares you and your team for ministry to grieving people. You can view the 3 training levels individually or as a team. Level 1 provides an intro to GriefShare. Level 2 focuses on specific volunteer skill sets and roles. Level 3 helps you hone skills and tackle problems.
Step 5 – Build your ministry team & meet together
Building a strong team starts with prayer that God will lead the right volunteers your way. These articles have tips on finding volunteers. Ideally, you’ll want to meet with them before the first GriefShare session. That ensures everyone is on the same page and knows what to expect. You’ll also want to encourage everyone to create an account in the LeaderZone and do the online training.
Step 6 – Create & manage your group
One to two months prior to your first meeting, go to the LeaderZone to Create a Group. That way, people searching online can find and register for your group when they use the Find a Group search tool. This is essential for allowing hurting people to find your group and receive the help they desperately need. Once registered, they will receive up-to-date information about your group and online tools.
Where to view the 13 session videos online
Ministry team: The videos are available both on DVD and online. You and your ministry team can view all 13 videos anytime, anywhere, at your convenience.
Participants: Everyone who has registered for your group can view the videos by going to griefshare.org and choosing the MyGriefShare tab. The online videos are available to participants who are attending in-person or online groups. '
Want more information about hosting an online group? Learn more.