Message from our pastor
Facing the loss of a spouse through death, divorce, or dementia is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Facing life after that loss is yet another challenge, frequently proving more complicated and confusing. The Bible urges us to draw close to those who are hurting and build them up: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. — 2 Corinthians 1:3
Those who have lost their spouses seem to elicit special compassion from God, who in turn asks His children to share in that compassion. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls His people to seek out and support those who face this indelible loss. God recognizes that life after the loss of a spouse is an arduous and often lonely process. He makes it a point of emphasis that they are not to be left on the fringes of society, but rather should be lifted up: Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. — Isaiah 1:17
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. — James 1:27
HeartLifters is a ministry that will equip your church to lift up and support those in your congregation who face the emptiness of life after loss.Through various social events, small groups, personal cards, care packages, workshops and seminars, HeartLifters will come alongside your members to help them find their way to a new way of living. We pray that this ministry will be as uplifting to your congregation as it has been to ours.
Sincerely,
Pranitha Fielder
Executive Pastor
Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church
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History of HeartLifters
In 2017, as two women on our team in the Sligo Church Office were sharing their experience of losing their husbands–both of them to cancer, they realized there was no ministry in our church that addressed the needs of those who had lost spouses. They shared this with another staff member and HeartLifters was born. Kathleen Driscoll, Sheila Schlisner-Hendricks and Charlotte Conway began to think of what an outreach to widows and widowers would look like. Mostly, they wanted a ministry that would help find joy after loss.
They began with a Potluck and invited those who had lost spouses listed in the Sligo database. This group became the nucleus that shared ideas and gave encouragement and support. They were given a start-up budget and were able to develop a logo and website and began a card ministry sending birthday and holiday cards and to hold workshops. They prepared a box filled with items of encouragement to send to other members who had lost their spouses and with an invitation to join HeartLifters.
As we met at our workshops, we had church members who were divorced who asked if they could be part of our group and of course, they were enthusiastically invited to join. There was another group–those who had just put their spouse into long-term care and felt the loneliness of having lost their spouse and wished to become part of our ministry. So now HeartLifters has become a support community offering comfort and assistance to those who have lost spouses by death, divorce or dementia.
As we shared our vision to the Pastors, Staff, Board and Sligo members, we were encouraged and given tremendous backing with the former Senior Pastor becoming one of our greatest supporters.
HeartLifters Leadership Team
Meet the leadership team of HeartLifters comprised of a small group of compassionate individuals.
Leader, Charlotte Conway; Associate Leader, Sheila Schlisner-Hendricks; Assistant Leaders: Chris Daley; Joyce Martin; Nancy and Dave Lamoreaux; Carla Conway; Vicki Rosette; Pastoral liaison, Hazel Marroquin.