from mourning to dancing

Grief, on the one hand, is a universal human experience. On the other, grief is as varied and particular as everyone who walks its path. Grief is not a journey we choose. It can seem like a force that hijacks our trip through life. Sometimes grief can seem like an unwanted guest who shows up to stay and we don’t know the duration of the visit.  ​

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You have turned my mourning into dancing; 
you have taken off my sackcloth 
and clothed me with joy, 
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. 
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. (Psalm 30:11-12) 

​Grief, on the one hand, is a universal human experience. On the other, grief is as varied and particular as everyone who walks its path. Grief is not a journey we choose. It can seem like a force that hijacks our trip through life. Sometimes grief can seem like an unwanted guest who shows up to stay and we don’t know the duration of the visit.  

For those who grieve, the psalmist’s declaration may seem impossible to imagine. The promise is that God can – and will – turn our mourning into dancing. In the resurrection of Jesus, we see the movement of God for all things, including grief. New life rises from the sackcloth and ashes of anguish. 

The Christian ritual that takes place at the end of life enacts the transformation of mourning into dancing. Today, people like to call this ritual a “celebration of life” because it sounds “happier” than a “funeral.” The term is confusing. Whose life is celebrated? If it is the resurrected life of Christ which is the hope of all who die in Him, then well and good. Usually, however, it means a celebration of the life of the deceased – a remembrance. This may be comforting in the short term, but the life I live has no power to turn mourning into dancing. That is why we call the rite of Christian Burial a “Service of Resurrection.” 

A Service of Resurrection indeed remembers the saint who now rests in the arms of Christ. It does not stop there. Through song, remembrance of baptismal promises, prayer, scripture, and preaching the movement of God to transform grief into joy is enacted, modeled, and proclaimed as God’s intention and work. This charts the course of the journey of grief from mourning to dancing. 

The Christian community plays a big part in the transformation of mourning to dancing. From the prayers, songs, luncheon, and gathering on the day of a Service of Resurrection through the days when the varied emotions of grief inhabit our waking and sleeping, the community of Christ walks together through the darkest valley. (Psalms 23:4) My experience, professionally and personally, tells me that one cannot navigate the journey of grief, from mourning to dancing, alone.  

As a congregation, we stay connected with those who grieve regularly for the first year after a loss. We partner with UnityPoint to provide a grief support group that meets monthly for six months each year. Our WOW small group (widows or widowers) shares fellowship on a regular basis during the day each month. 

In the coming weeks, we will be forming another group to offer support to those who grieve the loss of a loved one. It will occur in the evenings. Watch your Epistle and other announcements for more information. If you are interested in being part of such a group, contact me!  

Pax Christi,  
Tim Olson – Lead Pastor ​