Programs 

Support Programs 
For those whose loss is recent: 
"Coping with Life Alone" is a pre-weekend support program which meets weekly 6-10 weeks.  It is intended for those whose loss is new and/or are not yet ready for a Beginning Experience Weekend.  Preregistration is required, so call 503-476-4796 to sign up.
Up-coming sessions:
     Sites are in process...come back and visit this page for updates
​      $35 - Partial scholarships available. 
      Contact JoAnne (503) 476-4796 or email judholtz@gmail.com
     If you need childcare, YOU MUST reserve a space at least one week before the sessions begin. 

Beginning Experience® Weekend (FOR ADULTS)
One Weekend.....All the difference
The weekend is the core program of the Beginning Experience® ministry.  The program is presented by a team of people who have suffered the loss of a spouse themselves and are willing to share their own experiences to help others.  Team members lead participants through a series of presentations followed by personal private reflection and small group sharing.  A sense of community develops in an atmosphere of care and concern that is a hallmark of each Beginning Experience® weekend.  Whether you choose to attend the Beginning Experience® weekend only, or in addition to other support for the single again, the program's invitational process offers the opportunity to move toward a new beginning in life. 
     Upcoming Weekend dates: (Friday evening - Sunday afternoon)
          October 12-14, 2018
 ​Young People's Beginning Experience    (FOR YOUTH ages 12-17)
We are excited to host our first (in Oregon) Young People's Beginning Experience ®​ the July 17-19, 2018 at the University of Portland, in Portland, Oregon. Cost is $225 (includes the $50 non-refundable deposit). Scholarships are available. Call 503-949-4592 for more information.

​This weekend is open to youth ages 12-17 who have lost a parent due to death or a changed parental relationship through separation or divorce.  If you are hurting and in pain, this program is designed to help you manage your feelings.  

​The Young People's Beginning Experience ®​  is normally presented from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon by a team of adults, teens and young adults who have experienced this loss and are willing to share their experiences to help others. The program provides an opportunity to look at your life and your personal situation for an uninterrupted time. The safe environment and structured walk through the grief process helps you and other young people make giant strides forward in overcoming the loss associated with parental death or divorce. 

The truth is, no one has to suffer alone, and although life may never be the same, it can be good again...very good. Young People's Beginning Experience ®​  can help. Just give us one weekend. You'll meet people who have gone through the same things you are going through. They know how you feel because they have felt it and lived through it. They will share with you how they came to terms with their loss and how they've moved forward with their lives. More important, they will listen.

The Young People's Beginning Experience ®​ program helps to address the normal feelings of loss and pain when a family unit undergoes severe change. Its quality and effectiveness are well-documented. Developed by respected professionals in grief psychology, youth ministry, organizational process, and education, the program is psychologically and spiritually sound.

In order to assure the integrity and quality of the copyrighted program, the Beginning Experience International Ministry Center certifies teams of peer ministers to present it.

Let go of the pain. Get ready to live again.