Grieving people often say that loss clarifies what’s important in life. An encounter with death can help us reorient our priorities, reorder our affections, and restore our sense of purpose. Grief offers us the opportunity to release our reliance on structured programs and embrace messy, embodied presence as the real gift we offer one another in the valley of the shadow. In this episode, Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll discuss the ministry of showing up—how welcoming death and dying to Christian spaces can help us become better neighbors, how the pandemic shutdown can offer us new perspectives on congregational care, and how intergenerational worship pictures fullness of life in Christ. Daniel and Clarissa talk about re-envisioning pastoral vocation as ministry of care, slowing down to engage with older saints in our churches, and how we can rediscover the quiet joy of being present in the midst of busy lives.Whether you’re devoted to vocational ministry or just want to learn how to show up better for hurting people in your life, this episode is for you.

Special guest author Dave Meuer shares his story of caring for his mother-in-law during her declining years with Alzheimer’s disease.Dave Meuer is the author of New Every Day: Navigating Alzheimer’s with Grace and Compassion.

Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.

Produced by Mike Cosper

Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll

Edited and mixed by Mark Owens

Music by The Porters Gate

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