by Pastor Michael Salemink
The National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children takes place on September 14. As of this writing, some 625,000 little ones have perished in the womb from elective abortion this year. We have lost nearly 66.1 million unborn American lives in this tragic fashion since 1973, and 1.75 billion souls worldwide have met their untimely and violent demise in the last 44 years of abortions. Gatherings to honor their lives and mourn the massacre will happen at hundreds of memorial sites across the country. You can identify a scheduled service to attend using this map: https://nationaldayofremembrance.org/sites/ . (Some of them feature burial locations of aborted bodies.)
We have liturgical resources for you to observe this occasion in your congregation as well. In addition to worship materials for a 2024 Life Sunday celebration (“Blessed For Life,” https://lutheransforlife.org/store-life-sunday-2024), you may wish to acknowledge the Day of Remembrance in either special or regular services on or near the second Saturday of this month. Visit this page for a Lutherans For Life Memorial Service for the Victims of Abortion: https://lutheransforlife.org/store-life-sunday-2025/.
Our sadness for the babies gone too soon includes sympathy for the broken hearts left behind. The Word of Hope ministry brings the healing of God’s grace and Christ’s forgiveness to those who suffer guilt and grief over the abortion of their own children. Reach out at https://word-of-hope.org or call deaconesses Chrissie Gillet and Janet Nicol (distinctively Lutheran, completely confidential, free-of-charge, and 24/7 – you can even text!) at 888-217-8679.
God bless your Gospel-motivated voice For Life!