The Beginning Experience Ministry Programs
- The Beginning Experience for Adults – a weekend retreat.
- Coping – a six week series
- The Beginning Experience for Young Adults [YABE] – a weekend retreat
- Who Am I Now? – a six week series for children and youth ages 5-16.
- Widowed, Divorced & Separated Groups (Columbus, Fremont, Norfolk & Omaha)
- Rainbows????? Ask pat for more info
THE BEGINNING EXPERIENCE FOR ADULTS
A weekend retreat. A weekend away for a lifetime of grace.
Open to people of all faiths
Peer to Peer Ministry
No one is turned away because of inability to pay.
What need is addressed by this program?
This weekend retreat for Widowed, Separated and Divorced offers the opportunity to take a look at yourself, relationships with others and begin to gently close the door on their former marriage and move on in their lives.
Who receives the services?
Adults who are Widowed, Divorced or Legally Separated
Recommendation is: Divorced at least 6 months, Widowed at least one year.
What are the goals/hopes for results?
That the person attending will be able to honestly look at their marriage, see where they are in the grief process and begin to gently close the door on their former marriage and begin living life with a new joy and appreciation of life.
What is the history of dept/program?
The Beginning Experience Ministry began in Fort Worth, TX. when Sr. Josephine Stewart, a Family and Marriage Counselor was asked to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend. She along with Jo Lamia attended the marriage enrichment weekend. During that weekend they became aware of the need of a weekend for formerly married persons to gently close the door on the past in order to move on in their lives. In October of 1974 they piloted the first Beginning Experience weekend. The enthusiastic reception the received indicated the very real need for this type of program.
The Beginning Experience ministry came to Omaha in 1979, when several people traveled from Omaha to Watertown, South Dakota to attend the weekend. They found that the weekend retreat gave them a great deal of healing for the loss they had experienced. Two of these people came to the Director of the Family Life Office and asked for support to bring The Beginning Experience ministry to Omaha. The director, a bit leery of the problems a support group could cause, decided to go to Watertown, South Dakota to experience the weekend personally. The director found that The Beginning Experience weekend was a sound program four weekends a year are held, three in Omaha and one in Norfolk.
How does program operate, how does one get enrolled/involved?
Registration is required. Once the registration is received at the Family Life Office it is mailed to the Beginning Experience Team member who is responsible for interviewing all applicants for the weekend. The interview is conducted to be sure that the person asking to attend is ready to “gently close the door” on their marriage.
What is the cost?
May vary slightly depending on the usage cost of the retreat center. The usual cost is $100, which includes; two nights of lodging, facility fees, 5 meals, International program fee, and materials.
Who do I contact for more information?
Pat Seier, Widow, Divorced and Separated Ministry Coordinator at the Family Life Office, 402- 551-9003, Ext 1304. or paseier@archomaha.org, or visit the Beginning Experience website www.omahabe.webhop.org
COPING
A six week series for adults who have experienced marital separation, divorce or the death of their spouse.
Open to people of all faiths
Peer to Peer Ministry
No one is turned away because of inability to pay
What need is addressed by this program?
Week 1 – Dealing with Being Alone, Loneliness and Stress
Week 2 – Adjusting to Being Single Again
Week 3 – Discovering and Trusting Yourself
Week 4 – Dealing with your Former Spouse or the Memory of Your Deceased Spouse
Week 5 –Accepting Changes in Your Relationship With Others and Your Social Activities
Week 6 –Growth Through Divorce, Separation or Death
Who receives the services?
Widowed, Divorced or Separated, especially those who are in the early stages of grief and adjusting to single life.
What are the goals/hopes for results?
Coping Sessions help individuals work through the trauma of losing a spouse, whether it is by divorce, separation or death.
What is the history of dept/program?
Coping began in Omaha in 1976 when a group of divorced Catholics felt a need to find healing for their pain of loss. The coping sessions were first held in homes and as the need grew there was a need to move to Churches or other larger facilities. Support for the Family Life Office helped this infant group to grow and reach out to many divorced Catholics and many others of all faiths.
In 1978 Coping Sessions were officially started. The Coping manual was copyrighted in 1989. In 1991 it was approved by the International Beginning Experience Ministry Board as a support program available to other BE teams. This was the first of several programs that came out to the Beginning Experience movement in the Omaha Archdiocese.
How does program operate, how does one get enrolled/involved?
Pre-registration is not required. The person wanting to attend would come to the session and complete a registration card that evening.
What is the cost?
$20.00 for the six week session
Who do I contact for more information?
Pat Seier, Widow, Divorced and Separated Ministry Coordinator at the Family Life Office, 402-551-9003, Ext 1304. or paseier@archomaha.org, or www.omahabe.webhop.org
