Conference Schedule

Friday 11:00 AM - 7:30 PM

10:00 AM — Registration Opens

11:00 AM — General Session

12:30 PM — Lunch

2:00 PM — Breakout Sessions

4:00 PM — Breakout Sessions

5:00 PM — Dinner & Fellowship

6:30 PM — General Session

Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM

9:30 AM — Doors Open / Coffee & Fellowship

10:00 AM — General Session

11:30 AM — Breakout Sessions

12:30 PM — Lunch

2:00 PM — Mini-Gatherings

3:00 - 3:30 PM — Time of Reflection

4:30 PM — General Session

5:30 PM — Dinner & Fellowship

7:00 PM — Memorial Service and Closing

General Sessions / Breakout Sessions

A complete list of sessions with descriptions will be available on June 15!

Overcoming Trauma — Mark Roser

Unless Christ mends your broken heart, catastrophic loss can leave you traumatized and anxious. But by beholding Christ's trauma for you on the Cross, greater healing and wholeness is possible.Isaiah declared, "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows"(53:4). In this session, Mark explores the great exchange that happens in your life as you gaze upon the sufferings of Christ, and the sure glories of His indestructible, resurrected life, which He will produce in you. 

Child Loss 101 — Panel

This session explores the difficult truths and realities of child loss including the following: what to expect on the grief journey; practical ways to help grief; why does God allow pain and suffering; dealing with negative emotions; guarding our vulnerable hearts from New Age thinking; navigating changes in relationships; mental and physical health, and more. The panel of bereaved parents offers helpful insights and shares the hope they have found in Christ, while walking through the painful journey of losing a child.  

The Renewed Soul — Pat Roser

In this workshop, you are invited to lie down beside calm waters, to feed on lush green fields, to have your empty cup refilled, and to even feast at the Lord's Table in the presence of your enemies. Pat shares from Psalm 23 how our Great Shepherd, Jesus, renewed her soul after the horrific death of her son, Ethan. To not lack comfort but to be satisfied is the promise of this most beloved Psalm. The comfort of Good Shepherd's rod and staff  is the aim of this workshop. 

Healing After Child Loss — Carol Brown

In this session we’ll take a look at healing from a biblical point of view. We’ll discover how to identify and overcome impediments to healing, as well as ways we can participate in the healing process itself. We will be encouraged that a life “post child loss” can be filled with joy and purpose even while grieving our children.

Heaven: It’s Reality … It’s Hope — Rob & Pam Stalets

If you would’ve asked us before our son left this earth if we believed in Heaven, we would’ve said, “Sure we do. We’re Christians." When Robbie left this earth, we realized that when your child goes to a place you have never been, you want and need to know all you can about where they are and what that place is like. We then began a quest to know more about what God’s word says about this place called Heaven. It’s common knowledge why we need to be saved, but how much do you know about what we are saved to? The end game is eternal life in the kingdom of God. In this workshop we will reveal what we have discovered in God's Word about Heaven and why Heaven is our hope.

Trauma Transfer - Mark Roser

In this workshop, Mark will share practical pointers that have helped him transfer the trauma of his sudden, tragic loss of his beloved son, Ethan, onto Jesus. He will articulate how he discovered Christ's strength in his weakest place. This session will include a time of questions, and Bible answers on how you can cooperate with God's redemptive grace and find meaningful purposes in the midst of your greatest losses. 

The Faithfulness of God … Looking Back & Looking Forward — Deb Rhodes

After the loss of a child, a fog can come over us clouding our vision. That fog can affect our thought processes, our ability to perform regular tasks — even to see God at all. Our grief may lead us to the conclusion that He isn’t present. But sometimes, it’s in the rearview mirror that we see God’s hand in our circumstances. When our daughter, Natalie, was diagnosed with cancer at age twenty-one and we were in the trenches of treatment with her, I didn’t see the full scope of God’s intervention. Only by looking back did I see how he provided strength, comfort, and blessings along the way. The lessons I learned during that time about His faithfulness carried me, as we endured several trials in a ten-year period. Natalie entered Heaven nine years after her first diagnosis and our son, David, followed her nine and a half years later. God’s word tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. Jesus tells us to remember. By looking back through that rearview mirror, seeing how He has moved in our lives and remembering His faithfulness, we can look forward with hope. We can be assured that He is present in our grief, working in any circumstance that arises, & that He will provide what we need.  We can be assured of our ultimate hope of heaven & that we will see our children again.

Where Do We Go From Here? — Gary House

After two days of experiencing the amazing comfort found in the community of bereaved parents, learning from each other, and finding help and hope for the grief journey, where do we go from here? This session will explore the truths that we know to be absolutes to guide and direct our paths, as we all continue to walk this difficult road. We hope you will leave this place encouraged, equipped, and with a deeper understanding of the Lord.

Roundtable Discussion for Dads 

This interactive session will address topics and questions unique to a father’s grief. In addition to the questions submitted by attendees at registration, and the questions posed during the workshop, the panel will share their own experiences regarding difficult issues they have faced in the grieving process.

Roundtable Discussion for Moms

This interactive session will address topics and questions unique to a mother’s grief. In addition to the questions submitted by attendees at registration, and the questions posed during the workshop, the panel will share their own experiences regarding difficult issues they have faced in the grieving process.

The Traumatic Effects of Grief — Kelly Brockman & Erin Ketchen

Trauma can be described as the physical and mental effects left on an individual from either one single event or a series of negative events . Trauma affects our entire being; emotional, relational, biological, spiritual and can alter our perspective on God, ourselves, and the world around us. God created us with emotions and feelings and it’s important to recognize that traumatic experiences can leave us confused and misunderstood. Grieving a loss is traumatic. We will look into how the Autonomic Nervous System is impacted by a traumatic event.

Navigating Suicide Loss — Gary & Laura House, Keith & Shawnda Freer

There are many common misconceptions regarding suicide that effect the grieving process for parents who have lost children. Losing a child by suicide presents some unique circumstances and challenges. If you are a grieving parent, we hope this workshop will bring comfort and hope. If you have not lost a child by suicide, then we hope the time together will help you better understand and equip you to help a grieving parent.

Memorial Crafts

Throughout the conference, a craft room will be open for those who want to create something in memory of their child. A variety of options are available such as ceramic plates, rock painting, wood crafts, ornaments, magnets, acrylic painting on a canvas, etc.