Riverside Church, Birmingham B13 8AR

Lindsay Lucas

Many of the church’s pastors and group leaders attended the Bereavement Care Awareness course face-to-face in 2018 and again in 2020 online. A new BCA course is recommended maybe in January 2023, for new leaders and as a refresher for those who would like to attend again as the course has been rewritten by Care for the Family in 2022.

Riverside has a history of online services which demonstrate suffering and lamenting as a real part of our Christian journey.  One service, on Palm Sunday 20th April 2022 directly approached this topic, while other special services (like Mother’s Day, etc) always include references to those for whom these days are difficult including the bereaved.  Blue Christmas is going to be introduced as a way to incorporate lamenting and worship in the Christmas season.  Songs like ‘A Broken Hallelujah’ help legitimise lamenting in worship.

We are also discussing ways to accommodate people who feel distressed during services due to their bereavement and ways to minister to their needs.