Loss and Grief Support Group starting Oct. 20

"It only takes a second to change a life.  Some of us know this to be true more deeply than others. Some of us carry the invisible weight of grief behind smiles for strangers, long workweeks, and answering “I’m fine” each time someone asks how we are doing.  Beginning October 20, 2025, a grief support group and workshop will be held at Clean Heart Ministry at 4 pm. Each Monday, until January, this group will meet to support one another as we navigate our new normal without our loved ones.

The grief group will be led by Pastor Amber Armistead of Sparta First United Methodist Church. In 2011, her twenty-two-month-old son passed away in his sleep. In 2021, her husband died of a stroke and a heart attack. Amber received her Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University. Her thesis focused on normalizing parental grief and developing generative healing practices for grieving hearts. As a person who has learned to accept that grief never goes away, but it does transform, Amber is passionate about creating space for healing and support. Our society often wants grief to be hidden away or for us to “get over it,” but the reality is that grief never really leaves. It just becomes part of our journey.

By creating a community of connected individuals who can offer support to one another, the grief walk can become a little less lonely. Through activities and practices, Amber will offer ideas on how to transform the pain of grief into something that brings healing and hope.  All are invited to join us. You are invited to bring your weights and burdens so that we can be a community of support. We are here to listen. We are here to hear your stories and encourage you to move forward with strength and hope as you learn to love yourself and your life while grieving.