North End Baptist Church, Portsmouth

Sue Brooks, Chris Aston & Tracey Ansell (L-R)

Rev. Tracey Ansell, Minister, North End Baptist Church

At the end of 2023, several people in our church experienced bereavements of family members. This along with the popularity of our ‘Service of Memories’ held once a year in partnership with local Funeral Directors, Stapleford’s, made it an obvious decision to explore The Bereavement Journey®. 

In addition, during 2023, we began offering a free counselling service to people connected to the church, thanks to the generosity of Sue, a registered Counselling Psychotherapist who also has a Masters in Applied Social Care. All this led us to believe that God was calling us further into this privileged ministry. 

Over this past year, through The Bereavement Journey, we have been able to walk alongside individuals during some of the most challenging and painful moments in their lives. The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants expressing how much the course has helped them process their grief and find hope – lives are certainly being changed!  

We have run it twice now, once online, and an in-person one on a Thursday evening, and now plan to hold a daytime course starting in February 2025. 

The course provides a safe space for people to share their stories, explore their emotions, and understand the complex nature of loss. For many, it has been a lifeline, offering a sense of community and understanding that can often be hard to find. Our team, Chris, Juliet, and Sue have also seen the impact first-hand, witnessing lives touched by the comfort and support that comes from journeying through grief together. 

In helping people during their darkest hours, we have been able to show the love of Christ in action, offering hope and compassion when it is needed most. We are so grateful for the opportunity to continue serving those walking through grief!