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BY STEPHEN DAWKINS | PHOTOS BY JEREMY RAINES

Patrick Friday describes The Church at Cahaba Bend in Helena as “all about faith and families of different shapes and sizes, and connecting those families with the healing power of Jesus Christ.”

As part of that mission, church leaders have embraced the DivorceCare program that is a faith-based resource for those healing from the pain of separation or divorce.

“This aligns well with our mission as a church,” said Patrick Friday, the senior pastor. “We’re focused on families, and we know that divorce can impact the future—not just for the divorcees, but their children’s future as well. We know that in that space of hurt and pain, that’s where we need to be. That’s where we can bridge their suffering and the conflict that comes out of that with the message of hope and reconciliation that comes through Christ.”

The Church at Cahaba Bend began offering the GriefShare program in 2022. After having success with that program, the need for DivorceCare became clear and the church focused on DivorceCare in 2023.

“We responded to the need,” Friday said. “What we found was after doing GriefShare for a year or two, we added DivorceCare, and we saw the need in the community so we were happy to begin to emphasize that.”

GriefShare offers a unique experience that get members involved in a way that allows them to not only open up about their lives, but also hear from others as well.

Each session of the 13-week program, the group watches a 30-minute video filled with insights from outside grief recovery experts and others who share their stories about their experiences. Following the video, members get the time to share their experiences with each other, getting to take a guide home with them with exercises that will help in the healing process

“Word is spreading. People are hearing about DivorceCare from friends and divorce attorneys have also begun recommending the program,” Friday said.

The program has received a strong turnout already in the young year, and all signs point to better things to come in the near and distant future.

“The response for the first DivorceCare session of 2025 was so strong that the church ran out of workbooks and had to order more,” said Lisa Creel, coordinator of Care Ministries.

DivorceCare offers a video-based support group program with helpful counseling to manage the emotional turmoil and provide practical tools for decision-making. Session topics include anger, grief and depression, loneliness, fears and anxiety, financial and legal issues, conflict, forgiveness, single living and more.

The program is designed to be as accessible as possible. Childcare is provided by the church. The only cost is a $20 workbook, and scholarships to cover that expense are available for anyone in need.

DivorceCare lasts for 13 consecutive sessions—each with a different focus—but participants are welcome to join at any time. Anyone who completes the program but wants to go through it again is welcome—they can even reuse their workbook and avoid the $20 cost.

“I had a lady that joined recently and she said she couldn’t do this any other way because she has sole custody of her child,” Creel said.

Creel and Friday emphasized that The Church at Cahaba Bend is a “safe place” for anyone dealing with divorce. “We come from a grace-filled perspective,” Friday said.

Creel said the DivorceCare program is community-oriented, and that people from all around the town come to join, whether they are a part of the church or not.

“Of the people who are joining us for this coming session of DivorceCare, easily 90 percent are outside the church,” she said.

Many of those who choose to attend are not Helena residents. Despite that, Friday shared that seeing those that are not from the area come to the program to seek assistance in a time of need can be beneficial and calming for all involved.

“It can be helpful for those who are going through this time in their lives to be able to go somewhere that is not their own church or their own community,” Friday said.

“Whether you go to church or not is not the issue. It’s that you have a place that is caring and thoughtful about your needs. We just see this as a wonderful opportunity to be part of the community and be supportive. This is a real issue for families.”

For more information about DivorceCare at The Church at Cahaba Bend, visit Divorcecare.org/groups/251204.