Honoring God’s Littlest Saints: A Service of Hope and Healing at Faith Lutheran

This past weekend, Faith Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, hosted a deeply moving “God’s Littlest Saints” service as part of its All Saints’ Day worship. The special gathering invited families who have experienced the loss of a child before birth to come together in remembrance, prayer, and hope.

Pastor Dan Thews led the service, sharing a message centered on the resurrection hope we have in Jesus and the comforting promises found in God’s Word — the assurance that one day we will meet, embrace, and know the children taken from us too soon. Families joined in grieving together, praying together, and praising God for the divine purpose and eternal life of all God’s Littlest Saints.

As part of the service, families were invited to order a Heart of Mercy & Compassion in honor of their Little Saint and to write messages of encouragement for others walking a similar path. Following All Saints’ Day worship on Sunday, members of the congregation were also invited to add their own messages of hope, prayers, and words of comfort on each heart. Within minutes, the small wooden hearts filled with heartfelt notes—some members even took the time to sign each of the 20 hearts being prepared for the families.

Jessica Ganzen, Faith’s HMC Ministry Coordinator, reflected on the powerful impact of the event:

“What I didn’t anticipate were the number of members who, after seeing the hearts displayed, lovingly shared their own stories of losing a Little Saint. Whether it was a recent loss or one that happened decades ago, members tearfully spoke about their children—sometimes multiple—finding renewed hope in the resurrection promise of Jesus and comfort in the outpouring of support from our congregation.”

She added that the hearts created a sacred space for open conversation about one of life’s most painful experiences.

“The hearts gave our congregation the opportunity to talk openly about one of the most difficult things—carrying one another’s burdens and honoring individuals and families who, in some cases, had silently suffered.”

Faith’s Heart of Mercy & Compassion Team is now preparing 20 hearts in total—some inscribed with a precious name, others simply bearing the message “God’s Littlest Saint”—as lasting tributes to these beloved children and the enduring hope found in Christ.

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