| Although the faith community has the power to engage people of all ages with a multitude of life issues, few faith communities are prepared to support people as they face critical life altering events such as: care giving at the end of life, traumatic or sudden deaths and issues related to grief and loss (The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 2008). A recent survey of professional clergy and lay leaders by the Duke Institute on Care at the End-of-life, (2007) indicated that many faith community leaders do not have the knowledge, resources or support they need to care for people during this important time in one's life. This pre-test post test analysis was conducted to determine the effectiveness of grief and loss training for church pastors and lay leaders of urban churches. |
