Church prays over bears for grieving families

JACKSON, Tenn.–East Union Baptist church held a special Sunday service for grieving mothers.

“At Mothers Day we just wanted to think of a way we could show love to these families who are going through something just unimaginable,”  Season Witherspoon said with the East Union Baptist Church Mothers Love Ministry.

The congregation held a special prayer for mothers dealing with a tragedy.

Church members prayed over stuffed animals and for the mother’s who will receive them.

“This is just a way to ministry a little bit of grace and little bit of love in to that family, and have them to have a keepsake,” said East Union Baptist Church Pastor Edgar Pierce.

They aren’t your typical teddy bears. They’re called baby heartbeat bears and can record the sound of a baby’s heartbeat; a sound mother’s can hold onto during the grieving process of losing a child.

“God just kind of laid it on my heart,” Witherspoon said. “What a blessing that would be for mothers who were going through the tragedy of infant loss to be able to hear their babies heart beat forever.”

Even if the battery dies the heartbeat will still be there once the batteries are replaced.

The church has partnered with non-profit Heaven’s Cradle, whose mission is to provide comfort to families suffering perinatal loss.

They provide families with grief bags, and now the bears will be included.

“So I think this is a great opportunity for us to show those mothers and give them something so they can still continue to convey their mothers love to that child,” according to Pastor Pierce.

“Every bear was bathed in prayer and I hope when the families receive them they can fill the love and prayers that went into it,” Witherspoon said.

The collection of the heartbeat stuffed animals is just one way the church spreads the message of love throughout the community.

Witherspoon anticipates donations will double next year. “The next year I’ll imagine this table will be overflowing,” he said. “I’m really just proud of our church.”

The 20 heartbeat bears will be delivered to the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation Monday to be added to the Heaven’s Cradle grace bags.