"A heartfelt paean to the inevitability of life and the impossibility of death"—Sunil Bhandari, The Uncuts

In a century-old chawl we meet Ira and Narayan who have lived together in a 12'x12' partitioned room for 53 years. Without affluence or influence, these unconventional octogenarians petition the highest authorities in the country for the right to die together. Confronted with obstacles like its illegality and its taboo in Hindu culture, they actively engage the media to have their voice heard. Attention brings the watchful eye of the police to their door. Feeling sentenced to live beyond their wishes and waiting for official response causes time to hang heavy. Outside their front door, we are transported from their island of isolation, to the frenetic rhythms of chawl life where seasons, festivals, events, rush by.

The couple’s aging bodies and minds, juxtaposed with the relentless march of progress of the city and its dwellers, tell parallel stories of transience. Within this narrative, a neighborhood sculptor, crafting Ganesha idols, symbolises the eternal cycle of birth, life and death. Through this ethnic microcosm, universal themes of love, loss, freedom, ageing, are uncovered. An unforeseen crisis brings the couple to a crossroad.

Pallium India is a national registered charitable trust formed in 2003. It is an NGO based out of Trivandrum, Kerala, with the objective of alleviating serious health-related suffering (SHS) of 7-10 million people in India. They strive to demonstrate quality palliative care, to educate professionals and the public, and facilitate development of palliative care services across India.

Get your tickets here: https://icfilmscene.org/film/bhangaar-obsolete/

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Grief is a process, not an event. Writing is a process, not a product. Which is why it’s so well suited to helping us unravel our way through the confusion and pain of all kinds of loss.

This monthly writing group will provide supportive space, prompts, and short readings focused on the experience of loss. There are many kinds of grief — this class is inspired by Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief — and we’ll spend time with many of them.

The group meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT. Each session includes:

• arrival and centering

• a reading and brief exploration of a theme

• a prompt and 20-30 minutes of writing

• sharing (by choice) of our writing

Each class is on a sliding scale according to ability to pay. See more info below.

WHEN: First Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:30 am Central Time

WHERE: In-person option at Porch Light Literary Center, Iowa City OR on Zoom

REGISTER: https://bit.ly/GriefWriting

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 from 6-7pm at Press Coffee

For people under 50 who've experienced a significant personal loss, join us the first Tuesday of every month for a confidential and donation-based grief support group. 

Led by a facilitator trained in grief and end of life, and no RSVP required. For more information or additional questions, reach out to the Death Collective of Eastern Iowa at info@deathcollectiveeasterniowa.com. 

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Prairiewoods

120 Boyson Road, Hiawatha IA 52233

Led by Jamie Siela, LISW, & Jackie Koster, BSW

Explore your grief with others through creative expression in this grief group for adults every third Wednesday, 5:30–7 p.m. U.S. Central Time

Take time to connect with others in grief and engage the creative spark. Jamie Siela, LISW, and Jackie Koster, BSW, from UnityPoint Hospice facilitate this monthly grief group open to any adults grieving loss through death. On the third Wednesday of each month, come together in person to explore a different creative art medium. (A similar group for children and the adults who support them is offered on the second Wednesday of each month.)

In June, we will personalize flower pots with photos and decorations in remembrance of our loved ones. Please bring paper copies of photos if you would like to add them to your flower pot. Different mediums will be available to create your own pot.

Registration is required by noon a week in advance. This group is free and includes all art supplies.

Register here: https://pw.retreatportal.com/events/f?p=101:2:8214524269407::::PROGRAM_ID:29650

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Tuesday, August 5, 2025 from 6-7pm at Press Coffee

For people under 50 who've experienced a significant personal loss, join us the first Tuesday of every month for a confidential and donation-based grief support group. 

Led by a facilitator trained in grief and end of life, and no RSVP required. For more information or additional questions, reach out to the Death Collective of Eastern Iowa at info@deathcollectiveeasterniowa.com. 

Grief is a process, not an event. Writing is a process, not a product. Which is why it’s so well suited to helping us unravel our way through the confusion and pain of all kinds of loss.

This monthly writing group will provide supportive space, prompts, and short readings focused on the experience of loss. There are many kinds of grief — this class is inspired by Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief — and we’ll spend time with many of them.

The group meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT. Each session includes:

• arrival and centering

• a reading and brief exploration of a theme

• a prompt and 20-30 minutes of writing

• sharing (by choice) of our writing

Each class is on a sliding scale according to ability to pay. See more info below.

WHEN: First Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:30 am Central Time

WHERE: In-person option at Porch Light Literary Center, Iowa City OR on Zoom

REGISTER: https://bit.ly/GriefWriting

Free public discussion: “The Great Matter: Birth + Death = Life” with Roshi Daiken Nelson

Thursday, July 24, 7:00-8:30pm, 1025 Fairchild St, Iowa City, IA

Co-sponsored by the Iowa City Zen Center and the Death Collective of Eastern Iowa.

Learn more about Roashi Daiken Nelson at the Iowa City Zen Center website.

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

A special screening of Familiar Touch on Sunday, July 20th at 4pm at FilmScene's Chauncey location. This screening is pay-what-you-can and will include a post-film discussion moderated by Mary McCall!

There will also be tabling before and after with local orgs offering aging and memory care related services.

Check out the flyer here for more details!

Prairiewoods

120 Boyson Road, Hiawatha IA 52233

Led by Jamie Siela, LISW, & Jackie Koster, BSW

Explore your grief with others through creative expression in this grief group for adults every third Wednesday, 5:30–7 p.m. U.S. Central Time

Take time to connect with others in grief and engage the creative spark. Jamie Siela, LISW, and Jackie Koster, BSW, from UnityPoint Hospice facilitate this monthly grief group open to any adults grieving loss through death. On the third Wednesday of each month, come together in person to explore a different creative art medium. (A similar group for children and the adults who support them is offered on the second Wednesday of each month.)

In June, we will personalize flower pots with photos and decorations in remembrance of our loved ones. Please bring paper copies of photos if you would like to add them to your flower pot. Different mediums will be available to create your own pot.

Registration is required by noon a week in advance. This group is free and includes all art supplies.

Register here: https://pw.retreatportal.com/events/f?p=101:2:8214524269407::::PROGRAM_ID:29650

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Grief is a process, not an event. Writing is a process, not a product. Which is why it’s so well suited to helping us unravel our way through the confusion and pain of all kinds of loss.

This monthly writing group will provide supportive space, prompts, and short readings focused on the experience of loss. There are many kinds of grief — this class is inspired by Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief — and we’ll spend time with many of them.

The group meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT. Each session includes:

• arrival and centering

• a reading and brief exploration of a theme

• a prompt and 20-30 minutes of writing

• sharing (by choice) of our writing

Each class is on a sliding scale according to ability to pay. See more info below.

WHEN: First Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:30 am Central Time

WHERE: In-person option at Porch Light Literary Center, Iowa City OR on Zoom

REGISTER: https://bit.ly/GriefWriting

Tuesday, July 1, 2025 from 6-7pm at Press Coffee

For people under 50 who've experienced a significant personal loss, join us the first Tuesday of every month for a confidential and donation-based grief support group. 

Led by a facilitator trained in grief and end of life, and no RSVP required. For more information or additional questions, reach out to the Death Collective of Eastern Iowa at info@deathcollectiveeasterniowa.com. 

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Death Collective road trip opportunity to Verona, Wisconsin (near Madison)!

This is about a 3 hour drive and we would like to help coordinate car pooling for those that would like to go. Please email us if you would like to catch a ride or if you would be willing to drive before noon on Friday, June 20th at info@deathcollectiveeasterniowa.com.

Date: Saturday , June 21, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Farley Center, 2299 Spring Rose Rd, Verona, WI

The Natural Path Sanctuary (NPS) and Farley Center invite you to an engaging and educational event focused on end-of-life awareness and resources. The Death Education Market offers an opportunity to explore meaningful ways to approach death with compassion, knowledge, and preparation. This is the first time we are doing this event.

This unique event will feature:

1:30 Natural Path Sanctuary Tour by Director Shedd Farley and Cemeterian Dustin Duve

Local Vendors & Organizations: Connect with professionals offering eco-friendly burial products, funeral planning services, and holistic end-of-life care.

Whether you’re curious about sustainable burial practices, seeking guidance on end-of-life planning, or simply want to explore this important topic in a supportive setting, this market is for you. Share stories, ask questions, and learn from others in a welcoming, open environment

Admission: Free and open to the public.
There will be food vendors available – please bring cash.

To learn more about the Natural Path Sanctuary/Farley Center, go to naturalpathsanctuary.org and www.farleycenter.org

If you would like to participate, please contact programs@farleycenter.org We have limited space available for death education community groups, funeral homes, shroud and casket makers (all certified for use in the NPS) and other related organizations. All must be approved to participate.

We look forward to seeing you at this meaningful and inspiring event!

Participants: (More will be added as we confirm groups/vendors)
Natural Path Sanctuary
Ryan Funeral Home
Gunderson Funeral Home
Good Mourning
Walking Each Other Home
Prairie Sundance
Foster Funeral & Cremation Service
Madison Death Collective
National Association of Certified Death Midwives
Cress Funeral Home and Cremation Services
The Pink Peony
Humble Crossings
Pechman Memorials, Inc.
Threshold Singers of Madison
Casper Creek Natural Cemetery
Threshold Care Circle/ Driftless Green Burial Alliance
UW Organ and Tissue Donation

Food Vendor
El Sabor de Puebla/Reyna Gonzalez

Link to more info: https://naturalpathsanctuary.org/event/natural-path-sanctuary-death-education-market/

Prairiewoods

120 Boyson Road, Hiawatha IA 52233

Led by Jamie Siela, LISW, & Jackie Koster, BSW

Explore your grief with others through creative expression in this grief group for adults every third Wednesday, 5:30–7 p.m. U.S. Central Time

Take time to connect with others in grief and engage the creative spark. Jamie Siela, LISW, and Jackie Koster, BSW, from UnityPoint Hospice facilitate this monthly grief group open to any adults grieving loss through death. On the third Wednesday of each month, come together in person to explore a different creative art medium. (A similar group for children and the adults who support them is offered on the second Wednesday of each month.)

In June, we will personalize flower pots with photos and decorations in remembrance of our loved ones. Please bring paper copies of photos if you would like to add them to your flower pot. Different mediums will be available to create your own pot.

Registration is required by noon a week in advance. This group is free and includes all art supplies.

Register here: https://pw.retreatportal.com/events/f?p=101:2:2814799524638::::PROGRAM_ID:29649

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Grief is a process, not an event. Writing is a process, not a product. Which is why it’s so well suited to helping us unravel our way through the confusion and pain of all kinds of loss.

This monthly writing group will provide supportive space, prompts, and short readings focused on the experience of loss. There are many kinds of grief — this class is inspired by Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief — and we’ll spend time with many of them.

The group meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT. Each session includes:

• arrival and centering

• a reading and brief exploration of a theme

• a prompt and 20-30 minutes of writing

• sharing (by choice) of our writing

Each class is on a sliding scale according to ability to pay. See more info below.

WHEN: First Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:30 am Central Time

WHERE: In-person option at Porch Light Literary Center, Iowa City OR on Zoom

REGISTER: https://bit.ly/GriefWriting

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

We will be collaborating with FilmScene for a screening of The Shrouds on May 8th. An informal group conversation following the screening. No sign-up necessary to attend, but find your tickets on the FilmScene website to ensure yourself a seat.

This screening will be at 7:00pm at FilmScene’s Ped Mall location.

A grief support group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church (310 N Johnson St, Iowa City). The group meets from 3:30-5:00pm in Zion Lutheran’s lower level Gathering Room.

Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. Attendees can just show up or email Mary at mccallconsulting22@gmail.com for information. This group meets in-person only. 

Grief is a process, not an event. Writing is a process, not a product. Which is why it’s so well suited to helping us unravel our way through the confusion and pain of all kinds of loss.

This monthly writing group will provide supportive space, prompts, and short readings focused on the experience of loss. There are many kinds of grief — this class is inspired by Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief — and we’ll spend time with many of them.

The group meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT. Each session includes:

• arrival and centering

• a reading and brief exploration of a theme

• a prompt and 20-30 minutes of writing

• sharing (by choice) of our writing

Each class is on a sliding scale according to ability to pay. See more info below.

WHEN: First Saturday of each month, 10:00-11:15 am Central Time

WHERE: In-person option at Porch Light Literary Center, Iowa City OR on Zoom

REGISTER: https://bit.ly/GriefWriting