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Starlight Ministries, Inc. is a harbor in the storm of grief; a place to be with other individuals who are experiencing the same type of feelings. Starlight provides grief support groups, peer-to-peer, specifically designed for participants to process feelings, grow in faith and learn ways to cope with loss.

We offer groups for children ages 4-18 and adults who are grieving the death loss of a significant person in their life.  Our groups are facilitated by trained volunteers.

We also provide educational services to organizations like churches, schools and businesses.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

The heart of Starlight Ministries mission is offering Christ-centered peer-to-peer grief support groups for children ages 4-18 and adults who are grieving the death of a person in their life. Groups are facilitated in Hudsonville and virtually by trained volunteers and are designed to process feelings, grow in faith, and learn ways to cope and heal in their grief. Peer-to-Peer Groups offered:

  • Children and Teens (ages 4-18; groups divided by age)
  • Adult groups are divided by:
    • Bereaved Parents
    • Bereaved Spouse – Men
    • Bereaved Spouse – Women
    • Bereaved Adults

Peer-to-Peer support groups are free of charge. It is because of financial support from individuals, businesses and church sponsorships that no family is ever charged a fee for our peer-support services.

 

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CAMP ANEW

Camp Anew is a summer program of Starlight Ministries and ministers specifically to children & teens ages 7-17; it is a place where campers can experience the value of gathering with other children who are grieving, learn biblically-based coping skills and are offered HOPE to lead a meaningful life going forward.

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HOOFBEATS OF HOPE

Hoofbeats is one of our summer camp options that we partner with Renew Therapeutic Riding Center.  This is a day camp that incorporates the use of horses to help facilitate the grieving process for children and teens (ages 8-18) who have experienced the death of a loved one.  Trained professionals, volunteers, and therapy horses partner to provide a safe environment to feel, process, and find hope despite facing immeasurable pain and grief.

August 10th & 11th, 2023 from 1:00 – 5:00pm

Cost is $75 per participant

Scholarships available

Register Here

Renew Therapeutic Riding Center is located at 5080 146th Ave., Holland MI.

BATTLE OF THE BRAIN TRIVIA NIGHT FUNDRAISER

Do you like the challenge of answering trivia questions or have friends that know off-the-wall trivia answers!? Invite friends or come by yourself to Starlight Ministries 2nd Annual Trivia Night!

Register is open to all! You can come with a team, a couple or individual!

  • Individual Ticket – you will be paired with other individuals to create a unique team of gifts and talents!
  • Full Table – register a team of 8 to fill a whole table.

We will have other fun events during the evening! Come, HAVE FUN, test your trivia knowledge, and spend a night out with Starlight family and friends! We hope you are excited… we can’t wait!

GRIEF EDUCATION SERIES

An annual three-week Grief Education Series takes place in January.

Learn what to expect with grief, add some tools to your ‘Grief and Mourning Toolbox’ and learn how to manage grief both now and in the years ahead. This series is open to any adults who are grieving a death loss or persons wanting to support someone who is grieving.

GRIEF STRIDES

A daytime walking group held every other Thursday mornings at 10am. No registration required.  Our winter Grief Strides is held at Chapel Pointe Church (3350 Baldwin St. in Hudsonville) Join us for some healthy self-care!

View Calendar for Grief Strides dates

WOMEN’S GROUP

This group includes eight weekly sessions held in the spring and fall for woman grieving a death loss. This is a book study and discussion format. The group is led by one of our board members, Victoria Chapin.  She is a great listener and sensitive to those who are new in their grief or those who are not. This is a daytime group.

 

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HELD, BEREAVED MOM’S RETREAT

A day for Mom’s who have experienced the death of a child. Our retreats provide bereaved mothers with a safe place to openly discuss their grief among those who truly understand.

COMMUNITY QPR TRAINING

QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention is an educational program designed to teach the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond.  Cost is $10/person or $30 for a family of 4 or more.  Starlight will certify each participant at the end of the training.

GRIEF IN THE CLASSROOM

Starlight is offering a suicide prevention training and innovative, practical tools for teachers and school staff to understand grief and how to navigate it in the classroom.

Training includes:

Tools, practice, and resources to help understand students who have experienced a death loss.

QPR Certification (Question, Persuade, Refer)  As a QPR Certified Gatekeeper, you will learn to:

  • Recognize the warning signs of suicide
  • Know how to offer hope
  • Know how to get help and save a life

BUSINESS BREAKFAST

We are better together! Business and churches, join Starlight Ministries Business Breakfast spring 2023 as we partner together to bring God’s Hope to those who are grieving a death loss. The breakfast will include Starlight Ministries Director or Programming, Stephanie Hogan, speaking about Grief at the Office and how to navigate grief at the office. She will also share what Starlight Ministries can offer your organization with trainings, resources and support.

We will also celebrate how we are better together as we support each other through ministry. We welcome you, your team or your whole office to join us.

EMBRACE THE HOPE GALA

Starlight Ministries signature fundraising event that brings individual donors and business sponsors. This annual fundraiser provides community support and awareness of Starlight Ministries mission. The evening includes dinner, entertainment, wall of wishes and raffle.

What Starlight Offers Churches & Organizations

PRESENTATIONS – We welcome opportunities to share the tools we have to help those who are grieving and assist in providing ongoing support.

GRIEF RESOURCE MANUAL – A valuable guide to understanding grief, how to help, and available resources.

TEEN GRIEF RESOURCE MANUAL – A guide exclusively geared toward teens and their grief.

CHURCH PROTOCOL – A protocol in which the body of Christ will be equipped to answer its Biblical mandate to care for widows.

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STORIES OF HOPE

Stories of lives restored from participants of Starlight Ministries.

CATHY TILBURT

I discovered Starlight Ministries in September of 2016 by God's providence. I was reading a book by Miriam Neff & learned about the Widow Retreat from the Widow Connection website. That led me to visit the Starlight website & I discovered the Peer-to-Peer groups that way. After the first meeting, both Taylor & I were comforted to know that there were other people who get what we are going through.

Taylor attended Camp Anew this past summer, & even though he was hesitant at first, he really appreciated his time there. He came home with a better outlook on his dad's passing. For that, I am grateful! Through the Peer-to-Peer group, he was able to reconnect with a former classmate. He was also able to talk about his dad's passing & work through his thoughts, feelings & emotions surrounding his dad's death. We will never be able to fully say Thank You to Starlight Ministries for all of the support they have given to Taylor & I through the different parts of their ministry.

Paul Elias

Starlight gives us hope, because they bring others together that have kind of shared this path. They help us to understand what we’re going through, that we are not alone and we will get through this. Starlight developed their program and it’s like the church was meant to be. We come together, we share a meal and then we break off and then we break off into our age appropriate groups for small group time.

I have attended the Widow Retreat for the past two years & I come away blessed & refreshed every time. I am also thankful for the friendships that have formed from the Peer-to-Peer group at Starlight Ministries. I am grateful that there are people who I can talk to anytime who will fully understand the way that I am feeling. Starlight has been a blessing beyond comprehension to us, individually & as a family.

 

Amy Sikkema

Starlight’s been a blessing in so many ways; the grieving process of loosing a spouse and moving forward with this journey, it’s great to have the support of community and knowing that we walk hand in hand; we’re not alone.

 

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"Thursday nights are the only nights that I feed my kids and eat as a family"
- Jamie, participant
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