Grace for the Journey Conference

Grace for the Journey ~ A Day of Encouragement and Remembrance

Hosted by Sufficient Grace Ministries

Saturday, October 13, 2012
5:00pm-9:00pm

Harbor Light Community Church
8220 Clayton Road
Harbor Springs, Michigan

We are excited to announce plans for a day of remembrance and encouragement for mothers who have experienced the loss of a baby, and for anyone who wants to better understand how to minister to those who grieve. We all face trials and loss in this life, so our message of hope is relevant to anyone, regardless of whether you have experienced the loss of a child or not.

There will be a few speakers to share about the following topics:

Finding Hope Through Grief's Journey
How to Minister to a Bereaved Parent
Making Precious Memories ~ Incorporating Your Baby's Memory into Your Family Celebrations
The Effects of Sibling Grief and Ways to Support Grieving Siblings

We will also have a time of sharing, prayer, and a remembrance/candle lighting ceremony honoring our babies in heaven. We will be bringing some items to share with the mothers, from the Dreams of You Shop, and some other gifts to encourage. There will be refreshments, and a time to share with one another in the telling of our stories. This special retreat will be hosted by Sufficient Grace Ministries with no set charge for the participants. Free will donations are appreciated to help cover the costs of this event and to support the outreaches of this ministry. We are hoping to spark interest with the mothers in the area, as we believe this event could be a great comfort to those walking this path. October is national pregnancy loss awareness month, and a special time to honor these precious lives, and encourage the mothers with grieving hearts.

To register for the event, please send your name and contact information to either Kelly Gerken at: sufficientgraceministries@gmail.com or Jennifer Ross at: hoster777@live.com

Kelly Gerken (http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org) has experienced the loss of twin daughters (Faith and Grace), who were born still at 26 weeks and the loss of an infant son, (Thomas) who died shortly after birth from Potter’s Syndrome. From her own family’s journey of grief and healing, Kelly has created the Dreams of You Memory Book and other beautiful support materials to help families form a precious memory for their babies who leave this earth too soon. The ministry has expanded to include a team of individuals offering an array of products, online support, hospital seminars on compassionate care for grieving parents, and a speaking/singing outreach to encourage churches and women's groups. Kelly and her husband, Tim also have two sons who fill their days with golf, baseball, and lots of laughs. You can read more of the Gerken family's journey through loss to hope and healing here: http://sufficientgraceministries.org/the-story-of-faith-grace-and-thomas/

Holly Haas serves on the SGM board and blogs at www.caringforcarleigh.com, where she shares her family's journey as they carried their daughter Carleigh after receiving a diagnosis of anencephaly, cherishing the time they were given with their sweet baby girl, and beautifully honoring her memory ever since. Holly and her husband are the parents of two babies in heaven: Jordan and Carleigh, and four adorable girls on earth. Carleigh's story is told here: http://www.caringforcarleigh.com/p/carleighs-story.html

Jennifer Ross has been sharing about the loss of her son Isaiah, on a personal blog that she created in the beginning of 2009. Her health turned for the worse, when a placental abruption took place and from there she suffered a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, (D.I.C). The loss occurred on August 3, 2008. On her blog, His Grace Is Sufficient, she has poured her heart out into words, bringing healing into her own life, and praying that the journaling of her loss will help other woman who have experienced the loss of a child. Jennifer and her husband, Christopher, are the parents of one precious son in heaven, and five handsome sons on earth. You can read more about her journey through the loss of her son Isaiah, at http://hoster777.blogspot.com.

More information about Sufficient Grace Ministries:

Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women, a 501 (c ) 3 non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization, was founded in 2004 by Kelly Gerken with the purpose of reaching out to women and families to offer comfort, encouragement and hope. The Dreams of You division of this ministry was created specifically to provide comfort to women and families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

Bereaved parents are never asked to pay for the materials provided by SGM. We are supported by donations from individuals, churches, and businesses. Today, more than 300 packages a year are mailed all over the world to grieving families, fulfilling the mission of SGM to offer the same comfort to others we received from the Lord in our time of need. (2 Corinth. 1:3-4)

For more information about the products and services provided by Sufficient Grace Ministries, please visit:  www.sufficientgraceministries.org

Blessings,
Kelly, Holly, and Jennifer

The FB event can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/427422877293918/?ref=ts