GRIEF Bridge Support

A Gentle Invitation to Churches

Church Leadership,

How many bereaved parents are in your church?

Do you know?

They may be quietly sitting in your pews each week—faithful, present, yet silently carrying one of the heaviest burdens a heart can hold. Many grieving parents worship beside us while navigating a depth of sorrow that few people can fully see.

Across the world, an estimated 14.8 million parents experience the death of a child every single year.¹ With numbers this large, it is almost certain that some of these parents are already within our congregations. The question is not whether bereaved parents are present in our churches, but whether we recognize them and know how to walk alongside them.

Many pastors and church leaders sincerely want to help but quietly admit they feel unprepared to pastor a parent who has lost a child. The depth of that grief can feel overwhelming, and leaders often wonder what to say, how to respond, or how to guide a grieving family through such unimaginable loss.

This is where the church has a beautiful opportunity.

Within your congregation may already be the very people God has prepared to help lead this compassionate ministry. Bereaved parents themselves often become some of the most empathetic companions to others walking the same path. They understand the terrain of grief. They know the places where words fail. And they know, in a deeply personal way, how God met them in their own sorrow.

Scripture speaks to this sacred exchange of comfort:

2 Corinthians 1:3–4

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Many bereaved parents have experienced this very truth. In the midst of their own suffering, they encountered God’s comfort. Over time, that comfort often becomes the very compassion they extend to others.

In many ways, these parents are uniquely equipped to help guide and support others who are newly grieving. What they have lived, learned, and survived becomes a source of wisdom and gentle care for those just beginning their journey.

Churches do not have to navigate this ministry alone. By recognizing the bereaved parents already present within their communities and by equipping compassionate leaders, congregations can begin to build ministries that truly walk alongside grieving families.

The Grief Bridge Model was created to help churches develop this kind of compassionate response—offering awareness, education, and practical guidance so that no bereaved parent feels unseen within the body of Christ.

If you are a church leader asking questions such as:
• How do we pastor bereaved parents well?
• How can our congregation become a safe place for grieving families?
• Where do we begin?

You are not alone in asking those questions.

With millions of parents entering grief every year, the need for compassionate, informed churches has never been greater. Together, we can begin to build bridges of understanding and support within our faith communities.

The Grief Bridge Model exists to help churches take those first steps.

With compassion and hope,

Dr. Cali Anderson
Bereaved Parent
Bereaved Parent Advocate
Grief Educator
Founder, Grief Bridge Ministry

[email protected]

For Bereaved Parents: Healing Doesn’t End—
It Transforms

When speaking about healing after the death of a child, we must approach the subject with great care and sensitivity.

The death of a child is catastrophic. It shatters identity, daily rhythms, expectations, and the future a parent once imagined. When we speak about healing in this context, we must do so with deep reverence for the magnitude of what has been torn apart.

Healing is not a neat resolution.
It is not a spiritual milestone that removes anguish.
It does not make the tragedy acceptable.
And it does not mean that sorrow is finished.

For a bereaved parent, the world does not simply continue as it once did. Everything changes.

Healing means that grief is being engaged in a healthy and compassionate way. It means the sorrow is not denied, silenced, or rushed, but carried—day by day. Healing is the slow and ongoing process of learning how to live with something catastrophic while allowing love for the child to remain present.

Healing is not the removal of grief.
Rather, it is grief gradually moving, stretching, and transforming over time—while love remains without ever minimizing the depth of the loss.

If we misunderstand healing, we may unintentionally rush it.

If we understand it more fully, we will honor the process—and remain present with those who are walking through it.

Dr. Cali Anderson
Bereaved Mother
Bereaved Parents Advocate
Grief Educator
Compassionate Friend

Why Participate in a Butterfly Release?

Sometimes the most healing thing a bereaved parent can experience is hearing their child’s name spoken and watching the world pause for a moment to remember them.

For a bereaved parent, love does not end when a child dies. The bond between parent and child continues—carried in memory, in story, and in the quiet spaces of the heart. A butterfly release offers a gentle way to honor that continuing love.

When we release a butterfly in honor of our child, we create a visible moment of remembrance. As the butterfly rises, it becomes a symbol of transformation, hope, and the enduring connection between a parent and their child. It is not a goodbye. Rather, it is a sacred act of remembering—a moment to say your child’s name and allow others to witness that their life mattered.

During the Grief Bridge Annual Butterfly Release, each child is honored individually. Their name, forever age, and a brief tribute are spoken aloud so their life continues to be remembered and acknowledged. For many parents, hearing their child’s name spoken in a place of love and compassion can be deeply comforting.

Scripture reminds us that remembering those we love is an act of gratitude and love:

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”
— Philippians 1:3

For bereaved parents, remembrance is not something to move beyond; it is something we carry forward with tenderness and devotion. A butterfly release creates space for that remembrance.

It also allows family and friends to participate in honoring the child’s life. Loved ones can gather in person or watch online, standing beside the parent in a shared moment of reflection and support. In this way, the child’s life continues to touch hearts and bring people together.

Participating in a butterfly release can bring comfort to a grieving heart because it affirms something very important:

Our children are never forgotten.

Their names are spoken.
Their lives are honored.
Their love continues to shape our lives.

If your heart longs for a moment where your child’s name is spoken and their life is honored, we would be honored to remember them with you.

Butterflies may be sponsored for $20 each, and each butterfly represents a child whose life will be spoken and honored during the ceremony.

The deadline to order butterflies for this year’s release is April 15.

And together, we remember.

Grief Bridge Annual Butterfly Release
🦋 June 13, 2026
📍 Facebook Live

To participate, click the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqB3No4sLhuVB_5H7FSyrd9Hxdn7FOzgZH4WlbgMSjquy2GQ/viewform?usp=header

Dr. Cali
Bereaved Mother
Bereaved Parents Advocate

Why Participate in a Butterfly Release?

Sometimes the most healing thing a bereaved parent can experience is hearing their child’s name spoken and watching the world pause for a moment to remember them.

For a bereaved parent, love does not end when a child dies. The bond between parent and child continues—carried in memory, in story, and in the quiet spaces of the heart. A butterfly release offers a gentle way to honor that continuing love.

When we release a butterfly in honor of our child, we create a visible moment of remembrance. As the butterfly rises, it becomes a symbol of transformation, hope, and the enduring connection between a parent and their child. It is not a goodbye. Rather, it is a sacred act of remembering—a moment to say your child’s name and allow others to witness that their life mattered.

During the Grief Bridge Annual Butterfly Release, each child is honored individually. Their name, forever age, and a brief tribute are spoken aloud so their life continues to be remembered and acknowledged. For many parents, hearing their child’s name spoken in a place of love and compassion can be deeply comforting.

Scripture reminds us that remembering those we love is an act of gratitude and love:

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”
— Philippians 1:3

For bereaved parents, remembrance is not something to move beyond; it is something we carry forward with tenderness and devotion. A butterfly release creates space for that remembrance.

It also allows family and friends to participate in honoring the child’s life. Loved ones can gather in person or watch online, standing beside the parent in a shared moment of reflection and support. In this way, the child’s life continues to touch hearts and bring people together.

Participating in a butterfly release can bring comfort to a grieving heart because it affirms something very important:

Our children are never forgotten.

Their names are spoken.
Their lives are honored.
Their love continues to shape our lives.

If your heart longs for a moment where your child’s name is spoken and their life is honored, we would be honored to remember them with you.

Butterflies may be sponsored for $20 each, and each butterfly represents a child whose life will be spoken and honored during the ceremony.

The deadline to order butterflies for this year’s release is April 15.

And together, we remember.

Grief Bridge Annual Butterfly Release
🦋 June 13, 2026
📍 Facebook Live

To participate, click the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqB3

Dr. Cali
Bereaved Mother
Bereaved Parents Advocate