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Rituals of Remembrance for the seasons of grief
Programs and Workshopsfor · Professional religious leaders of all faiths ·Ministerial students ·Lay ministers and pastoral visitors ·Professional and volunteer participantsin programs such as Hospice ·Bereavement groups ·Health professionals ·Book discussion groupsSARAH YORK Presenter
Sarah York is author of Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death, and a Unitarian Universalist minister with over twenty years of experience. She will design a presentation or workshop to meet the needs of your group. Program formats range from a 1½ hour presentation and discussion to a one or two day workshop that includes opportunity for group activities, discussion, and individual reflection. No particular religious perspective is represented, but all workshops draw on universal principles of spiritual growth and healing. Ms. York, an outstanding speaker and author of four books, is also available to preach for religious services or deliver keynote addresses for meetings and conferences. Her workshops have been certified for professional CEUs. Sarah York holds degrees with honors from Wake Forest University (B.A), Duke University (M.A.T.), and Harvard Divinity School (M.Div.). Before studying for the ministry, she taught high school English. A master teacher, she combines the skills of an educator with her experiences as a minister to create a program that elicits a comfortable level of participation.
Some of the topics for programs and workshops include: Reflection upon current trends in western culture with regard to funeral practice and rituals of remembrance Exploring the functions of ritual Recognizing opportunities for healing through ritual Decisions and rituals for letting go of a person’s bodily presence Addressing the circumstances of a death in ritual observances Personalizing memorial services that honor and celebrate a person’s life Addressing family tensions and alienations Making space for negative feelings (e.g. regret, anger, guilt) Creating rituals for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Memorial Garden, Fort Myers, Florida
Praise for Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death
"This book is a treasure for religious leaders and ordinary people who face the challenges of grief and mourning. Without offering pat answers, religious dogma or platitudes of any kind, the author …provides heartfelt stories and wise words to guide the reader through the many kinds of issues that surface when a loved one has died. ..." Publishers Weekly, starred
review "[Sarah York] addresses life’s ending in a direct and moving way.... Dozens of stories of individual rituals serve as inspiring examples of how a uniquely fitting memorial—one that will bond and sustain those left behind—may be crafted." Booklist, starred review "[Remembering Well] offers ways to adapt traditional rituals to contemporary lives and gives guidance to those who find religion empty, awkward, or irrelevant." USA Today "Remembering Well deals with complex and basic concerns related to bereavement. York explores issues, including violent deaths from murder or suicide, the deaths of children, organ donation and family estrangement. At a basic level, she offers families, clergy, funeral professionals and hospice workers guidelines for planning funerals and memorial services. The Washington Post
"Sarah York’s clergy workshop--based on her seminal book Remembering Well-- profoundly helped us understand why we do what we do and suggested new or enhanced ways of responding to human need at this critical point. The interweaving of Sarah’s experience and reflections with the experiences of workshop participants creates a memorable and moving educational experience. The workshop she led for Ministers in London and the South East of England was considered to be the best ministers’ continuing education event in living memory." --Rev. Steve Dick, London District Minister, British Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
"Sarah York’s workshop for our Pastoral Associates and other members of the church was excellent. Her presentation was fresh and authentic, but I especially appreciated her ability to involve everyone in discussing vital issues concerning the rituals of death and in role-playing and other activities. I would love to have her back again." --Rev. Michael McGee, Senior Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA
"Rituals of Remembrance and the Seasons of Grief was presented at the Fourth Interfaith Conference on Spirituality and Aging held in Southern California in February, 2002. Sarah York’s presentation was both engaging and sensitive as she expertly led the participants in a consideration of the role of ritual in the grieving process." --Donald Koepke, Director Center for Spirituality and Ethics in Aging, A Program of California Luthern Homes
"Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death is well worth reading-- and to be read, not just once and put on the shelf, but kept handy as a useful tool in putting together funeral services." --American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, Volume 19, Number 1, January/February 2002
Ms. York’s books, Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death, Pilgrim Heart, The Inner Journey Home, and The Holy Intimacy of Strangers, published by Jossey Bass/John Wiley are available now in bookstores around the US, UK, Canada, and other English or Spanish speaking countries. Into the Wilderness, published by The Apollo Ranch Institute Press, is available in most bookstores in the US by special order.
The Other Books by Sarah York Sarah York’s home is in the mountains of Western North Carolina. For Further information or to schedule a program contact Sarah York:
Cell Phone:1.828.712.2753 Email: Click Here for Sarah's Email Web site: www.sarahyork.com
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