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A Safe Place: A Retreat for Bereaved Parents

November 8-10, 2024

A retreat where parents who have lost a child can come together to navigate their grief.

A Safe Place explores the unique aspects of grief and its impact on your life as you grieve the death of a loved one.

The retreat, led by grief support leaders, who have experienced grief, includes sacred stories, presentations on the nature and dynamics of grief, small group discussions and spiritual practices designed to promote comfort on your grief journey.

Session One: The Healing Power of Story

We explore ways to begin telling your grief story and the spiritual practice of breath meditation.

Session Two: How Grief Affects Us

Focuses on your how our feelings in grief affect us, the patterns  of grief we experience and explores the spiritual practice of journaling and of the labyrinth.

Session Three: The Gift of Lament

We discuss the definition of lament and how to incorporate lament in your grief and mourning journey. We invite participant to create a space to use lament as a spiritual practice in navigating their grief.

Session Four: Your New World

We focus our discussion on resilience and finding a new meaning in life. We discuss the relationship between compassion and grief. We examine integrating activities that promote comfort in our grief journey such as the healing prayer of the mandala and practice of the Prayer of Examen

Session Five: Light in the Divine – Celebration of Those Who Have Gone Before Us

An interactive commencement service of remembrance and celebration. Participants have the opportunity to share their story and the stories of their loved one with the group. We mark the end of our time together and celebrate the lives we are grieving.

“The spiritual and emotional encouragement of A Safe Place helped me to realize that I can make it through the pain of losing our daughter. I didn’t know what to expect when we arrived. Would I run sobbing into our room when faced with talking about our daughter’s death? No, not at all. Others comforted me as we cried together. And it’s OK to cry together. Seeking help through A Safe Place helped me find comfort and to understand that I can live through it. Just take it one step at a time.”

Mo-Ranch and Faith & Grief Ministries are combining their respective gifts to make this retreat available, providing you a safe venue to wrestle with the dynamics of grief and to experience significant measures of hope and encouragement. Whether you are standing in raw grief, navigating the chaos of grief’s confusion or recovering from a recent ambush of grief, this retreat is designed for you. Plan to experience comfort through scripture, spiritual practices and interaction within a compassionate community of men and women who “get it” – get the heartache, get the lingering sorrow, get the continual yearning to be with your loved one and get the longing for peace.

 

Working in close partnership with Faith and Grief Ministries; our Program Facilitators Mike & Laurie Shaw have led the A Safe Place Retreat along with Jim & Anna Paccone for two years. Both couples have experienced the death of a child and how this loss can affect parents and families.

Faith & Grief Ministries

 

 

 

Cost and Housing

Single occupancy: $515

Double occupancy: $390

Prices include tuition, meals and lodging.

You will be in hotel-style lodging, and if you need more than one room, you will pay the first adult price for each room.

After receiving your registration, a member of our team will contact you within seven business days to confirm additional details such as housing requests (roommates), dietary needs, etc.

Scholarships are available! Click here to learn more.

Cancellation

Full refund minus administrative fee up to $75 per person will be made if cancellation is received more than 30 days prior to the conference. There are generally no refunds for cancellations received on or after 30 days prior to the start of the event nor any applying of the amount paid toward other charges or future conferences.

Arrival and Check-In

Please plan to arrive between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. the day your conference begins. Programs begin with dinner at 6 p.m.

What to Bring

Linens are provided. Bring shoes suitable for Mo-Ranch’s rocky, uneven terrain, casual clothing, a swimsuit and river shoes to enjoy the river. Bring items such as a light jacket/sweater, flashlight, insect repellent, Bible, notebook, tennis racket and camera.

Transportation

Mo-Ranch is 90 miles one-way, or a 2-hour drive from the nearest airport (SAT), allow 3 hours travel/check-in time for departures. We recommend generally scheduling arriving flights before 3 p.m. and departing flights after 3 p.m. to be sure you do not miss any of your event. If you are in need of shuttle service to Mo-Ranch, call Kars for Hire in Kerrville at (830) 890-8200 at least 15 days in advance to arrange transportation from San Antonio International Airport.

Click here for directions to Mo.

Questions

We’re happy to help! Contact us at 1.800.460.4401 ext. 246 or registrar@moranch.org.

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