| “Good Grief” | Pastor Stephen J. Thurston II | July 26, 2026 |

Main message: Grief is not the opposite of faith; believers should not rush past or shame honest grieving but allow space to acknowledge the reality and pain of death.

Key points:

• Grief can coexist with faith and is often a truthful response to loss.
• Refusing to grieve is refusing to acknowledge what death has done to us.
• The preacher challenges the congregation to stop hurrying through grief.
• Criticizes those who turn funerals into enforced "celebrations" and pressure people not to cry.
• Emphasizes the need to honor real sorrow rather than silencing it.

Scriptures mentioned: none