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The Death & Resurrection Doula Newsletter July 28, 2026 |
A Place at the Table
This summer marks the 2nd anniversary of the International Fellowship Café! For two years, a small group of strangers has gathered every week faithfully laying the foundation for a Christian movement.
The International Fellowship Café was born out an opportunity to further Christian conversation around death in the public space. Rather than indulge the secular dialogue on the meaning of death, the International Fellowship Café is a place to boldly proclaim that death has been conquered by God's own Son. The Creator of the Universe spared nothing in redeeming the creation He loves.
The Christian story stands alone when pursuing peace with death. Redemption is not simply Jesus making up for the fall of humankind through his atoning death on the cross, it is a renewal of the entire cosmos. The earth is yearning for its eternal future inhabited and stewarded by the resurrected people of God.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul tells the young church of Thessalonica not to grieve like the rest who have no hope. Depending on the translation, we read that Paul doesn't want the church to be ignorant or uninformed of the good news...those who sleep in death will be raised up. Jesus' physical resurrection has defeated death! "But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip" (Acts 2:24, NLT).
God's action actively transforms us as individuals and in community. As we begin our third year of fellowship, we aim to grow our Monday (online) fellowship and expand the reach through dedicated leaders passionate about the mission:
The International Fellowship Café is a worldwide table where Christians gather around the Word of God to discover how the resurrection of Jesus transforms every conversation about life, death, and the hope of a New Heaven and Earth.
The table symbolizes a shared space where believers regularly gather to study God's Word. Scripture is also full of life changing table experiences: Abraham welcomes strangers; The Passover meal; Jesus eats with sinners; The Last Supper; The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
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Together, may we live out this call to Christian fellowship: "When I needed hope, someone invited me to the table."
Join us on Mondays at 1 pm EDT.
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Professional & Volunteer Training
Our next virtual training weekend is October 9 & 10! Enroll in training or purchase a seat without training. See our website for details.
Training is the heart of our community and increasing the number of Volunteer and Professional Death & Resurrection Doulas is vital if we are to make a difference in the field of end-of-life care.
This fall, we have several scholarships available for new enrollments in the Professional & Volunteer Training Programs. Eligibility is dependent upon having a strong church connection. This initiative is intended to establish a working relationship between a doula and the church community he or she serves.
Pastors will be invited to participate in your training! If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please complete our registration form and mark YES that you are applying for a church-based scholarship. An application will be emailed to you.
The Volunteer Training Program has a new element added to the inclusive training option. In addition to the self-paced volunteer course curriculum and a seat at the October 9 & 10 event, volunteers can join the Death & Resurrection Doula Support Group! This group meets monthly (3rd Mondays at 7:30 pm EDT) and is led by Certified Death & Resurrection Doula and trauma chaplain, Melissa Zietlow. The group is intended for continuing education topics, increasing faith, and building community with other Christian end-of-life doulas, it is not direct training support.
Why Your Story Matters...
The International Fellowship Café and The Death & Resurrection Doula Training Program uses a special platform called Convene Communities.
Convene Communities is founded by Matt Currin and created to be a place for training and transformation. The platform is built on real-life experiences, lessons learned, and the belief that shared wisdom can change lives.
Matt's vision and relentless pursuit to create a structure designed for purpose-driven transformation individually and collectively has become a defining feature of my vision for fellowship and training.
Matt has recently published a book detailing the Convene Communities story and his team is completing a significant platform rebuild. I invite you to buy his book, 12 Seconds Changed Everything: Why Your Story Matters, and join Matt and Laurel for a book discussion at the end of August (TBD: August 24 or 31 at 7:30 pm EDT). The book is for sale on Amazon $11.99).
One of our graduates—who called the program "life-changing"—has pledged to match the first $10,000 donated to the fund, dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of every gift.
To date, our gracious donor has matched $3250! If you fell led to help us reach our goal, please check out our campaign page!
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Death in the Body, Life in Christ...
"Care at the end of life is not limited to professional vocations such as physicians, funeral directors, or clergy. Some of the most important physical, emotional, and spiritual end-of-life care is offered through the presence, words, and touch of ordinary believers who bear witness to the hope of the gospel at the threshold of death."
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Explore our library of podcast episodes on Spotify! The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast brings together conversations concerning Christian theology, spiritual formation, end-of-life care, and resurrection hope — exploring how the Body of Christ can recover meaningful practices of presence, preparation, accompaniment, and communal care.
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