Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Department
Seminary
First Advisor
William Valmyr, DMin
Second Advisor
Lolita Gilmore, DMin
Third Advisor
Danielle Boone
Abstract
Grief is a universal human experience that occurs at some point in everyone's life. This body of work explores the various benefits of implementing a bereavement support ministry in a resource-constrained church in Chicago, Illinois. The research will outline how a bereavement ministry can offer emotional support, spiritual guidance, and provide educational resources, community building, outline a budget proposal, and a grant opportunities, partnership with local agencies, training for volunteers, and practical help to bereaved members in a church, as well as the bereaved community.
Bereavement is an inevitable part of the human experience, and churches have historically served as vital sources of comfort and healing for those grieving. Within urban communities, especially ones constrained by limited financial and human resources, establishing a bereavement support ministry presents challenges and opportunities. Implementing this type of ministry requires planning that leverages available resources, fosters cultural sensitivity, and ensures sustainability.
Urban resource-constrained churches in Chicago, Illinois, frequently serve as vital centers of healing and hope within their communities. When addressing grief and loss, a structured bereavement ministry provides a spiritual and emotional lifeline. Yet, to maintain excellence and accountability, such programs must integrate theological depth, cultural sensitivity, and legal compliance. A hybrid bereavement training model combining online instruction with in-person workshops offers flexibility and accessibility for clergy, chaplains, and laity. This strategy describes how a church can design, implement, and sustain hybrid bereavement training in partnership with a theological institution or denominational training board, while aligning its processes with Illinois State guidelines for certification and pastoral care.
Grief is simultaneously personal and social and disrupts attachment, identity, and daily functioning while also reshaping a person’s place in the community. The goal is to provide competent ministry volunteers with spiritual formation and practical competence in grief care.
Recommended Citation
Haynes, Celeste, "Good Grief: Implementing Solace and Support of Bereavement Ministry Within a Resource-Constrained Church in Chicago, Illinois" (2026). Doctor of Ministry. 755.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/755