Hope Gathering

Hope Gathering Hope Gathering exists to help widows find hope and healing in Christ-centered communities.

We do this through our Hope Boxes, monthly gatherings and our annual Weekend of Hope. We believe that no widow should have to travel this journey of grief alone.

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. 🌿There are approximately 11.8 widows in the United States walking through the pai...
08/30/2026

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. 🌿

There are approximately 11.8 widows in the United States walking through the pain and grief of their loss. Family members, friends, and the church play a vital role in their lives.

Each person grieves differently, and a widow is often lost in the moment and unable to acknowledge all that is happening around them. Your patience and unconditional love will mean the world to her as you continue to show up and walk alongside her in her grief. The images above offer helpful insight as you walk alongside a loved one and their journey of grief.

🌿 We encourage you to reach out to a widow in your life today, and for more resources, visit: www.hopegathering.org/how-to-help

If you are a widow, we highly recommend the Christ-centered resources below as you navigate your loss.

🌿 Support groups through GriefShare: www.griefshare.org
🌿 Hope Groups across the United States and Canada: www.hopegathering.org/find-a-group
🌿 Counseling consultations and referrals through Focus on the Family: www.focusonthefamily.com/get-help/counseling-services-and-referrals
🌿 Local Christian counselor lists available through your Hope Gathering leaders

You don’t have to walk through your grief alone — there is a community ready to listen, care, and walk with you.

Meet Julie, one of our Hope Gathering Community leaders in South Carolina. We pray her Story of Hope is an encouragement...
08/29/2026

Meet Julie, one of our Hope Gathering Community leaders in South Carolina. We pray her Story of Hope is an encouragement to you and a reminder of the hope and purpose Jesus offers even in the midst of your grief and journey of healing. 🌿

"John and I had a storybook romance that began as Peace Corps sweethearts in the jungles of Ecuador and carried us into an idyllic life, raising our two sons in small-town America. In July of 2018, the life we had built together over thirty-four years was forever changed when John died suddenly and unexpectedly.

As an emergency room nurse, I had walked beside countless grieving families, but nothing could have prepared me for navigating my own profound loss. I clung to my Father for dear life.

Within weeks, I joined a GriefShare group. There, I found something invaluable: people who understood the language of loss and a safe place to process my grief. Much of that healing came through writing. What started as a personal record of God's faithfulness became my first book, Streams of Light from a Heart Broken. Later, as I continued to seek my Father in the dawn of each new day, those writings grew into a daily devotional, Streams of Light from a Heart Held. Both books center on finding God's goodness and steadfast love, even in life's hardest places.

As healing slowly gave way to helping others heal, I became a GriefShare facilitator, helping others discover the same hope and support that had been so life-giving to me.

Hope Gathering was an answer to prayer. I longed for a place where widows could continue finding connection, encouragement, and community after GriefShare ended. Together, we encourage one another, share our stories, and learn how to carry grief and hope side by side — often with plenty of laughter along the way.

What began as a journey of survival slowly became a ministry of encouragement, allowing me to walk beside others as they navigate their own grief-shadowed paths.

Through grief, I have learned that hope is not the absence of sorrow — it is the presence of Christ in the midst of it, walking beside me every single day. Along the way, He has continually revealed the wonder of His Word, the beauty of this world, and the gift of this one life.

God is GOOD ~ ALL the time!"

The Houston Hope Gathering Community is growing, and we are excited to be launching a group in Katy in just a couple wee...
08/28/2026

The Houston Hope Gathering Community is growing, and we are excited to be launching a group in Katy in just a couple weeks!

If you are a widow in Katy — or know someone who is — we invite you to join us on Thursday, September 10, at 6-8pm to connect with other widows in your area and learn what you can expect by being a part of this new group. 🌿

Come and hear the story of Hope Gathering and find encouragement and support from other widows who truly understand the journey you are walking.

🍽 Please bring a favorite dish or dessert to share during our potluck dinner together.

📧 RSVP and request the address for the location by emailing our team at: [email protected]

🌿 Healing happens in community — and you belong here.

📣 Share this post and tag another widow who should join you for the launch of this new group in Katy!

“I just wanted to let you know that I received my widow box yesterday and I was blown away!! You can tell that a lot of...
08/28/2026

“I just wanted to let you know that I received my widow box yesterday and I was blown away!! You can tell that a lot of care and thought were put into these. I am wearing my Hope bracelet and starting to read the books. I just cannot thank you enough for this box! It just has so many wonderful and useful things!“ 🌿 - Deborah

Our team of faithful volunteers prepare Hope Boxes to be delivered to widows across the United States and Canada each week. These boxes are reminders that someone cares, and each one is filled with intentional items assembled by women who truly understand — widows in our community who are walking through their own journeys of grief and finding healing and purpose in Jesus.

If you are a widow, we invite you to request a Hope Box for yourself — or for a widow and loved one in your life — at no cost due to the heartfelt generosity of our donors.

🌿 Learn more about the items inside each Hope Box, and request a box at www.hopegathering.org/hope-boxes.

08/27/2026

Thank you Center Church for your support!

Spots are filling quickly for Weekend of Hope 2026: God Is in Your Story — but there is still time to join us this fall....
08/27/2026

Spots are filling quickly for Weekend of Hope 2026: God Is in Your Story — but there is still time to join us this fall. 🌿

If you are a widow — or know a widow who needs this kind of encouragement — we would love to welcome you for a weekend created with the unique journey of widowhood in mind.

For hundreds of widows from across the United States and Canada, Weekend of Hope has been a place to feel understood, be cared for, build meaningful friendships, find practical encouragement for the road ahead, and be reminded of the hope and healing found in Jesus.

🌿 Weekend of Hope: God Is in Your Story
🗓 October 30 – November 1
📍 Camp Allen | Navasota, Texas

Whether your loss is recent or many years have passed, you are welcome here. You’ll hear from keynote speaker, Lisa Appelo, choose from helpful breakout sessions that speak to the real challenges of widowhood, and spend time with women who truly understand this journey.

Most of all, we hope you leave reminded of this truth:

God is still writing your story. Your story did not end with loss, and there is still hope for the chapters ahead.

A few spots remain. ➡ Learn more and reserve your place at www.hopegathering.org/weekend-of-hope!

This weekend, Hope Gathering officially came to Oklahoma! 🎉Our hearts were so encouraged as widows gathered at City Chur...
08/26/2026

This weekend, Hope Gathering officially came to Oklahoma! 🎉

Our hearts were so encouraged as widows gathered at City Church Moore for the launch of our very first Hope Gathering Community in the state. Around the tables, women shared a meal, stories, laughter, and meaningful conversation with other widows who understand the unique journey of loss.

It was a beautiful reminder of something we believe deeply at Hope Gathering: no widow should have to travel this journey alone. Healing happens in community. 🌿

We are so grateful to City Church Moore for opening their doors and hearts to widows in their community, and to everyone who helped make this launch possible. Most of all, we are thankful for every woman who walked through the doors — and excited to see the friendships that will grow and all God will do through this new community.

If you are a widow in the Moore, Oklahoma area — or know someone who is — we would love to welcome you. You didn’t miss your chance to be part of what is beginning here!

📧 Email [email protected] to learn more and get connected.

We are so excited to launch two new groups in our Houston Hope Gathering Community THIS WEDNESDAY! 🎉If you are a widow —...
08/25/2026

We are so excited to launch two new groups in our Houston Hope Gathering Community THIS WEDNESDAY! 🎉

If you are a widow — or know someone who is — in the Houston area, we invite you to join us this week on August 26 at one of the groups below:

🌿 Spring Branch
📍 This group will meet in a local home.
🕕 4th Wednesday | 6-8 pm
🍽 Please bring a favorite dish or dessert for our potluck dinner.

🌿 Loop West Central
📍 Houston's First Baptist Church - The Loop
7401 Katy FWY | Houston, TX 77024
🕔 2nd/4th Wednesdays | 5-6:30 pm (Dinner) | 6:30-8pm (Program)
🍽 Complimentary dinner & childcare provided

Come and simply be, enjoy a delicious meal, and connect with other widows who truly understand the journey you are walking and can provide encouragement and support for the road ahead.

📧 Please RSVP and request full details and the address for the Spring Branch location at: [email protected]

📣 Share this post and tag a friend who would be encouraged by one of these new groups in Houston!

"The COMMUNITY.The community of women finding hope and healing in Christ.The community of women who encourage one anothe...
08/23/2026

"The COMMUNITY.
The community of women finding hope and healing in Christ.
The community of women who encourage one another in the journey.
The community of women who seek God’s purpose for our lives in this season of our lives.

What woman walking thru “THIS” path, seeking direction and friendship, would not give her right arm for this kind of love, compassion, direction, camaraderie, encouragement, understanding and unconditional friendship. They have been there and done it. THEY. GET. IT.

and...THEY. GET. ME.” 🌿 - Jerry

Hope Gathering Communities are more than just support groups — they are lifelines.

They are groups of women who have all been there and are here for you — women who truly understand and get you.

Hope Groups now meet in 17 states and in Canada (our first group in Oklahoma launched today!). 🌿 We invite you to learn more about our communities and find a group in your area at ➡ www.hopegathering.org/find-a-group.

Our heart is to see groups gathering in all 50 states and across Canada. If you do not see a group currently listed in your region and have a desire to start a group, please connect with our team at ➡ www.hopegathering.org/start-a-group. We would love to start that conversation with you!

We also wholeheartedly recommend joining a GriefShare group to encourage you in your journey. GriefShare support groups meet across several cities and regions. ➡ Find a GriefShare group near you at www.griefshare.org.

🌿 You were not made to walk this journey alone, and we’re here to walk alongside you.

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Brenham, TX

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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