Greensburg Daily News, Greensburg, IN

Features

Related Photos

  • Westport Christian Church offers spiritual counsel for those experiencing grief each Tuesday morning. contributed photo

    Westport Christian Church 07.30.11
July 30, 2011

Westport Christian Church Offers Free Grief Counseling

Brent Brown Greensburg Daily News

Westport — For the last two-and-a-half years, Westport Christian Church Minister Mike Bartlett has been helping bring relief to area citizens grieving the loss of a loved one.

Through a program called "Encouraging Others," which meets at the church each Tuesday morning, Bartlett strives to use scripture and the teachings of Christianity to help those struggling with loss move past their grief. Encouraging Others is a free program that Bartlett describes as an "open air family counseling dialog." The program started with two members and has increased to about 20 people.

Bartlett said the main goal of this program is to "show support, encouragement and hope in overcoming the loss of a loved one." The group meets at 10 a.m. each Tuesday and uses Bible passages as a way of learning to cope with the death of a relative or friend.

Encouraging Others bases its teachings around Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' Five Stages of Grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. As proponents of the model have stated, not everyone who experiences grief goes through each stage in that particular order, and it is also possible some individuals may not experience certain stages at all. Regardless of where an individual happens to be in his or her own grieving process, Bartlett is happy to offer Christian guidance.

The minister describes those he counsels as a "great group" and stated that those who have participated in the sessions are better able to function with their grief, deal with their loss, better understand it, and "can now continue living."

The group receiving counseling has also taken a trip to Beef and Boards, the Derby Dinner Playhouse and other nearby getaways. These trips are another way to help those dealing with the inherent emotional difficulties of the loss of a loved one move past their grief and on with their lives.

Bartlett also pointed out that in order to attend a counseling session, one does not have to be a member of Westport Christian Church. Bartlett said that residents of Greensburg, Westport, Sardinia and even Jennings County have attended sessions in the past. Minister Bartlett conveyed to the Daily News his hopes that more will attend in the future, and stated that all who are struggling with grief due to loss of any kind of are always welcome to attend.

For more information, email Minister Mike Bartlett at www.westportchristianchurch.com or contact him by phone at (812) 591-3807.

Text Only
Features
  • More on Garwood and the late '60s

    Last week's column ended with Lyndon Johnson, President; Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense; and Robert Kennedy, U.S. Senator from New York.

    April 18, 2012

  • Southern Exposure: News from "the south side"

    She's baaack! Nobody was as happy as I was when Abby from the Daily News left me a message and asked me if I might be interested in writing my column again.

    April 18, 2012

  • International Night, Australia and more

    I hope you were able to attend our International Night last week. In case you didn't, I hope someone can tell you about it.

    April 18, 2012

  • Clinton Extension Homemakers

    The Clinton Extension Homemakers met briefly April 12 following International Night at First Baptist Church.

    April 18, 2012

  • reunion news: Columbus North High School

    The Columbus North High School class of 1972 will hold their 40 year class
    reunion June 2, 2012.

    April 18, 2012

  • Ryan Martin Eagle Scout photo Eagle Scout news

    Ryan Martin, son of Dr. Hank and Sue Martin, recently had an Eagle Scout ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

    April 18, 2012 1 Photo

  • Smyrna Guys & Gals 4-H Club

    The Smyrna Guys & Gals 4-H Club started their April 16 meeting with host Kyle Norton giving his demonstration on his show pigs.

    April 18, 2012

  • Springhill Womens Association

    The Springhill Womens Association met March 28 at the home of Nita McCoy.
    Devotions and the program for the evening were taken from the secretary reports from the 1920s and 1930s.

    April 18, 2012

  • St. Maurice Homemakers

    The St. Maurice Extension Homemakers held their April meeting at the home of Rita Hellmich.

    April 18, 2012

  • 01c-euchre winners.jpg Rotary Euchre Tournament brings fun, funds

    GREENSBURG - The Greensburg Rotary Club held its 11th annual Euchre Tournament to benefit the Special Olympics on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Knights of St. John Hall.

    March 1, 2012 1 Photo