Please note that the presenter and program description for this retreat have changed from what was printed in the Spring 2026 issue of Bridges.
Tending Sacredly to Your Grief Amidst the Holiday Season
“Let your holiday grief be what it is. And let yourself — your new, grieving self — be who you are.” —Alan D. Wolfelt, Author & Grief Companion
The holidays can be an especially challenging time for those who are grieving. Whether your loss is through death, a transition, or another significant life change — the end of a relationship, a job or career, a home, or a way of life — grief can feel especially tender and overwhelming during the holidays and the surrounding winter season. As the year reaches its close and the expected holiday excitement builds, we may become increasingly aware of both what has been lost or changed and what we long to always remember in our hearts.
If you find yourself at this threshold, please join us for this day-long retreat, which offers a safe and sacred space to acknowledge your grief in your own voice, practice self-compassion, and discover meaningful ways to move through the arriving season with greater peace and intention. During our time together, we will explore various expressions of grief during this time of year through personal reflection, contemplative exercises, and communal rituals. We will also engage with the spiritual practices of setting intentions and creating boundaries as we continue navigating our journey of grief in such a season.
As a community, we will also consider the wisdom and healing possible through creating new traditions and meaningful rituals, which serve to honor what has been lost while also making space to welcome hope, connection, and resting in the present. Please bring along comfortable clothes and shoes for some optional time in nature, weather depending. A journal will also serve as a helpful companion on this retreat. Lunch is included. Guided by Gordon Creamer.
Gordon Creamer, MA, creator of the Mission Bridge, currently serves as Program Director at Well for the Journey, a spiritual wellness center in Lutherville, MD. As a contemplative theologian and creative builder, he has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various assisted living, skilled nursing, and hospice communities. He earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Currently, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute. Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media and formats. He also participates as a peer group leader in the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation’s Transforming Community Program. His passions include uplifting the journey of adults, individuals with memory impairment, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as fostering support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion, end-of-life doula, and Reiki practitioner, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing, expanding, and flourishing. For more information, visit TheMissionBridge.com.