3 minute read
DivorceCare Ministry Offers Support and Healing
Going through a divorce can be a lonely and sad time. The DivorceCare Ministry in our parish community offers support, answers, and practical tools to help manage the many stresses of separation and divorce, and to find healing.
The ministry is for anyone currently separated or divorced, whether recently or in the past, and is designed to help those who are not at peace with their circumstances, or with themselves. The DivorceCare experience involves three main components — videos, group discussion, and participant workbooks — with once-a-week meetings held over 13 weeks.
Advertisement
The group meets Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Centre for Christ in Sauk Centre. DivorceCare is the No. 1 Christian support group for those going through a separation or divorce in the United States for more than 25 years.
“The support group is a place to come where you can feel safe, all discussions are confidential, and we have all experienced the pain and isolation from a divorce or even a separation,” says Deb Himsl, who facilitates this ministry along with her husband, Amor.
“The main objective is to help those impacted by separation and divorce heal, to give them a sense that they are not alone, and assure them that they will heal and find peace again, through Scripture,” Deb says.
Deb Himsl and her husband, Amor (Buford), in the church garden
Each day, there is a 15 to 20-minute Scripture lesson in the participant’s book to read and reflect on how it is working within their lives. Deb and Amor say the goal of the program is to help the participants obtain the tools needed to become comfortable talking to their families, whether it is their children, other family members, friends, or ex-spouses, about what they are experiencing.
“It is hard to explain to someone who has not gone through it how your life is impacted,” Deb says. “This ministry helps with that.”
For Deb and Amor, serving as ministry facilitators means a great deal to them as both have had personal experiences with divorce. The couple was approached by Fr. Greg Paffel about spearheading this ministry at the parish, as the pastor knew both had been divorced.
“We have been married now for 31 years, so our divorces were 35 years ago,” Deb says about how their personal experiences have helped them effectively lead this important ministry. “We both contact interested participants and share our experiences and make ourselves available for participants between sessions if they have any questions, concerns or just need to talk. By working so closely together in this ministry, we have felt God working to bring us closer as a married couple as well.”
DivorceCare recently started its second 13-week session, so the ministry is still in its infancy in Sauk Centre. However, Deb and Amor say they are already seeing the fruits of this caring group.
“We could see with the participants from the first session form bonds that they didn’t have before as they could relate to each other and knew what their fellow participants were going through,” Deb says. “They are helping each other through the group discussions.”
Deb and Amor also know firsthand how people going through a separation and divorce can feel isolated and, at times, even shunned, because God does not approve (of divorce). But through DivorceCare support, the Himsls say participants are reminded of Christ’s love no matter the circumstances.
“He does not approve of the divorce, but He loves us, and when we begin to understand that no matter the circumstances, we start to grow closer to Him,” Deb says. “When we are close to God in our faith, we know that we can find peace and comfort during these challenging times. Remember you do not need to go through it alone.”
