Knaresborough Team Ministry

The team at Knaresborough

Our journey to becoming a Bereavement Friendly Church has grown steadily over time. Knaresborough Team Ministry has had a strong pastoral care team for several years, comprising people who have done pastoral care training organised by Leeds Diocese. Several members of the team have a background in health or social care as well. 

Revd Lisa Holland arrived as Team Vicar three years ago from a post as a hospice chaplain and with previous experience in palliative care nursing. Since her arrival the team has started holding a Blue Christmas service to acknowledge that Christmas can be a difficult time for many people, not just those who are grieving but those who are unwell or separated from loved ones. This service is valued by those who come along, as is our annual Service of Light where we remember loved ones who are no longer with us, and we invite all our funerals families to join our congregations and come together to light candles and remember.  

During 2024/5 the team put on a couple of Café Church style, “Gravetalk” events, using a resource developed by the Church of England to try to open up the conversation around death, dying and funerals in a safe, supportive environment.  

One suitably qualified member of our team then began acting as counsellor for a local The Bereavement Journey® programme, and another team member attended a different course location after being widowed. She encouraged us to explore whether we too could hold The Bereavement Journey® as she found it very beneficial. Several of us attended the webinars and two of us attended a course as participants, after which we felt equipped to run the programme ourselves.  

The feedback that we received from those who attended has been overwhelmingly positive. It has been a relief to many that the emotions that they are feeling are not unusual. All the participants valued the opportunity to speak to others who really understood what they were going through. All the leaders felt that it was a privilege to walk alongside them. We are now following up the course with a drop-in bereavement café.  

The Knaresborough Team is committed to providing a safe, supportive community for anyone who is coping with the death of a loved one. We aim to show Jesus’ love and care to all who might come to us in need, whatever the stage of their faith journey or their grief journey.