Here's a Wordle made by Family Ministries Team Chair Ellie Peterson, using the most frequently used words in this blog. I love seeing the words that "pop" from this image, and it highlights things that I hope are most important in our work with children and youth. Take a look at this image and see what "pops" for you!
It's great to be back after maternity leave. I hope to begin posting here on a regular basis again. For now, here's some photos from yesterday's Treasure Hunters class, which explored the history and origins of celebrations of the Spring Equinox.
A Maya legend tells of a snake-like shadow on the first day of spring. As surely as a snake sheds it skin, spring will transform the earth.
During the festival of Floralia in Rome, children wound garlands of flowers around a marble column in a temple dedicated to Flora, goddess of flowering plants.
The Jewish holiday of Passover began as an ancient spring festival. The Passover story reminds everyone that joy can follow sorrow, and that winter will always be followed by spring.
When Christians think of spring, they are reminded of the Resurrection of Jesus. Many Easter customs come from earlier traditions. Eggs were honored, decorated, dyed, and exchanged by many ancient peoples. It was the custom in Germany for children to build a nest in a field or garden in which the Easter Hare would lay its colored eggs.
We enjoyed learning these facts and more about spring from today's book: The Spring Equinox by Ellen Jackson. Our collages illustrate the different spring festivals we learned about.
