50 Years of Support Groups

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

Support groups have been an integral part of Prince of Peace’s work to help people receive and offer support during specific times of loss and change. In the mid-1980’s the Job Transition Support Group began for persons unemployed or desiring a job change, and the Grief and Loss Support Group started to provide support and information for anyone experiencing grief from loss by death, separation, divorce, and major transitions. Many years later, these groups continue to meet weekly as the Job Connections Group and Grief Support Group.

In the fall of 1982, Starting Over Single, a recovery seminar for families experiencing divorce began. SOS (Singles Organized South) was a social group formed by singles in the community that was not associated with, but met at Prince of Peace from the late 1970’s into the 1990’s.

In recent years Prince of Peace has been a member of the Growing Through Loss Coalition, a group of churches in the south metro that hosts a series of speakers each spring and fall about grief and loss, followed by support groups. More recently we started a Depression Support Group in 2006 and we joined the Depression Support Coalition in 2010. 12 Steps for Christian Living and various AA groups are offered throughout the week and Adult Children of Persons with Memory Loss meets at Prince of Peace on a monthly basis.

Support groups provide a safe place where people share similar experiences and can talk about their feelings providing emotional, psychological and moral support. They give hope – seeing that others have gotten through it, and reduce isolation – you are not alone.