Current Groups

No current groups at this time...

Past Groups

Six people sat around a small table one afternoon.  The voices were talking in normal, everyday tones.  No one wept.  No one screamed.  No one ran away terrified or left the room devastated.  Not what you would expect for a group talking about what each of them thinks about the end of their life and what they want to talk more about with others.  This set the tone for what will be taking place over four afternoons in April and May. 

“Conversations about…end of life” is a brief group for people who want to talk about their thoughts, needs, fears, hopes, and questions about the end of their lives.  The purpose of the group is to address these issues and promote an atmosphere of trust and safety to talk about them.  We will also share ideas about how to allay fears and reduce anxiety, find resources for building our faith and building a support network, and learn more about ourselves and our emotional responses towards death and dying.

Leaders for this group are Rev. Carol McVetty and Dave Howser.  Carol, a pastor of North Shore Baptist Church , has offered pastoral care to people facing death, and their families for 27 years.  Dave is a licensed clinical counselor with over 17 years of experience working with individuals and families with terminal illnesses as a chaplain, therapist, and a pastoral counselor.  He has had a private practice at North Shore Baptist Church for six years.

Registration is required for this group by April 11 and attendance in all four sessions is strongly encouraged.  There is a minimal fee of $25 for the entire series to cover a portion of the costs.  Sessions are held on April 18, May 2, 16, and 30, at NSBC and will start at 1:30 pm and will go until 3:30 pm.

 Registration forms are available in the NSBC church office and in the narthex.

 Please call Dave Howser at 773.450.3395 if you have questions or for more information.

Seasons of Our Spiritual Lives

For most of us, our spiritual lives are characterized by ups and downs, trials and growth, periods of activity and rest. If we think about it, we may even recognize that there are cycles or seasons to our spiritual development. We experience periods of summer-like growth and renewal or winter’s frozen numbness. There may be times of intense spring storms or fall’s burst of colors before becoming barren branches.

Join others who wish to deepen their spirituality by reflecting upon the richness of their spiritual seasons and the resources and challenges that are present. To facilitate this understanding, Dave Howser, our pastoral counselor, offers a group workshop which will meet to reflect, discuss, and explore our individual seasonal patterns and how it impacts our spiritual walk.

This four week group will be offered each season- one in the late summer, fall, winter, and spring. New members are welcomed to join at the beginning of each segment, and the content will change to match the particularities of that time of the year and the participants who compose each group.The group is open to church members, their friends, and individuals from the larger community. Rates $50 per session and reduced rates can be determined during the intake process. Participants are asked to commit to all four sessions in order to assure continuity and to provide the highest degree of support for other members of the group. Although this group will have therapeutic benefits, this is not traditional group therapy. It is more of a blend of support and spiritual direction.

For more information or to schedule an intake conversation, please call: Dave Howser, M.Div, LCPC at 773.450.3395.