Equipping Pastors for Grief and Crisis: A Resource List
One of the most challenging roles of a pastor is to support families in their church who are experiencing childhood medical crises, death, or pregnancy loss.
To help pastors in these difficult times, Eric Schumacher, BCI’s Director of Pastoral Ministry, has assembled a list of resources. We hope these resources will benefit your ministry as you offer spiritual, practical, and financial support to affected families.
Below is the compiled list of resources. Even if this isn’t a current need in your ministry, keep this list accessible for those times when families may need support.
Walk With You
– Tangibly helping families through the loss of a child
WWY provides mentoring and assistance to families with a child who has received a terminal diagnosis or who has lost a child. The Director, Kylie Collins, is an experienced PICU nurse who is extremely compassionate and competent regarding pediatric illness and death. She’s also a member of Frontier Church in DSM (a BCI church). After a loss, WWY will pair the family with trained mentors (parents who have lost a child of a similar age) to keep in contact and provide support as desired for the first year post-loss. Services are free and may be requested through their website.
Praying Through Ministries
– Gospel hope in CHILD ILLNESS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, or CHILD LOSS
PTM provides prayer support and curated care packages for families journeying through extended childhood illness, child loss, and pregnancy loss. The Director, Jessika Sanders, has walked through extended medical crises with her children and is skilled at discerning helpful resources. Care packages and support are free and may be requested through their website.
Tori’s Angels
– Foundation helping kids with life-threatening conditions
Tori’s Angel serves Iowa families with a child (under 18) who has a life-threatening condition. Once approved, TA pays for all medical expenses not covered by insurance, including travel expenses to treatment (airfare or mileage, hotels, meals), co-pays, deductibles, and prescription medicine approved by insurance for use in Iowa for the diagnosed, life-threatening condition. Support covers expenses after approval, so applying early is essential.
Faith’s Friends
– Relieves family financial burdens of child loss
Serves grieving families in Iowa and Nebraska by providing financial assistance after the death of a child of any age. They will cover up to $1,000 toward funeral costs, $1,000 toward burial, and $2,000 toward headstones.
Trappist Caskets
– Free, hand-crafted caskets for infants & children
Free, hand-crafted caskets for infants through youth. Rush shipping is available. As an important ministry of the monks of New Melleray Abbey, caskets are offered in compassion and faith at no cost to families who have lost a child.
Books on Grief Written by Eric Schumacher
Additionally, Eric has authored or co-authored two insightful books that are specifically tailored to aid families navigating through suffering with children.
In His Hands: Prayers for Your Child or Baby in a Medical Crisis
Eric Schumacher and Jessika Sanders cowrote this prayer book to assist families who have a child with a medical crisis or who have lost a child. It provides prayers for multiple aspects of such crises in broad and specific prayers. It may be helpful to keep on hand for hospital visits.
Ours: Biblical Comfort for Men Grieving Miscarriage
Eric Schumacher and his wife Jenni walked through four miscarriages. This 31-day devotional is intended to serve grieving fathers and bring them to Jesus for comfort. Also highly recommended is the companion resources for women: Held: 31 Biblical Reflections on God’s Comfort and Care in the Sorrow of Miscarriage.
