October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. However, we know that this is a “uniquely common” occurrence that 1 in 4 women can experience at any time. The grief families suffer is rarely recognized, leaving them feeling lost, alone, and even forgotten.

We want to acknowledge the loss and offer support for these women and families during this difficult time. In 2019, we developed a guide for a meaningful remembrance ceremony called “The Hannah Service.”

The Hannah Service is an experience that gives space and opportunity through readings, singing, sharing, and commemorating activities to honor the losses and grieve the experiences from infertility, pregnancy loss, infant loss, and medical diagnoses that prevent pregnancy. This would be a meaningful program to host at your corps and share with other churches in your community.

Click the buttons to download the guide, available in English and Spanish. Invite your corps members to attend. However, this service can be an outreach opportunity in your community. Contact local churches, women’s organizations, MOPS groups, schools, community bulletin boards, your own social services, thrift stores, online special interest groups, etc. to post your invitations. Use a Facebook or Instagram event to promote and share the link to be clear that this is a public event. To truly partner with our churches invite female pastors and leaders to participant in specific program elements.

We look forward to seeing how this brings healing and spurs ideas for more support events and groups for various losses and griefs we experience in life that need space for processing and healing.