# Support group at church - any thoughts?



## Em26 (Jan 6, 2007)

Hi all,

Just wondered if I could pick your brains!

Think I mentioned in a previous post that our church is in the middle of a massive baby boom. Our church is (rightly) good at celebrating new life and supporting new families, but, of course, for those of us struggling, it can make it a very hard place to be, and we can very often go completely unnoticed and become isolated. So I've been thinking about ways we as a church can actively support people on the other end of the spectrum (I know we're by no means the only couple struggling). This is something our Vicar has been thinking about too. Anyway, one idea I've had is to start an infertility and pregnancy loss support group, and I have a meeting with him to discuss this coming up soon. 

Has anyone got any ideas/suggestions/wisdom with this? I've never been part of a support group and would love to hear from anyone who has! What works/doesn't work? 

Another thing my Vicar has thought of is putting on a simple service (for those who've suffered m/c(s) ) to remember lost babies. Again, any thoughts?

Look forward to hearing them!

Love

Emily


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## babyspoons (Feb 25, 2007)

Emily,

Sounds like a great idea. There is a web page somewhere called Hannah's Prayer, hannah.org I think. It's American but might have some good ideas.

I wish my church had something but I think we are the only couple as it's only about 150 people (most of whom have kids or are older)

Good luck!! X


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## Em26 (Jan 6, 2007)

Thanks Babyspoons, and have been reading your posts and praying for you too love.


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## Wicklow (May 13, 2006)

great idea - our church leader was cueing the time for babies to go out in creche and said 'its getting a lot louder in here before creche starts, simple solution, stop having babies' - cringe and wallop! I may mention a group to our church leader or certainly a port of call when people are faced with loss or infertility - I would have dearly liked that. Good luck and let us know
Ruth


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## Em26 (Jan 6, 2007)

Yeah, know what you mean. We had our church annual meeting last night where one of the issues raised was room for breastfeeding mothers. Apparently there were 15 simultaneously breastfeeding last week; 25 babies born in the last year; and now 65 under 5's in our church and many more yet to come (and our church congregation isn't that huge - it's c.250-300) - exactly why there's no way I can go to the morning service anymore :-( sigh.


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## Anthony Reid (Jan 1, 2002)

Years ago, we wrote a guide to setting up a support group.

I'll dig it out over the weekend.

Tony
x


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