The on-going gift of the Spirit continues to help us spread the news and become apostles in our time and place. And that is worth celebrating! Here are some simple ideas that will help you celebrate the Day of Penetcost with your congregation and church school.
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Tags: children's ministry, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, traditions, worship 
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Literally “the Fifth of May,” Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican Holiday celebrating the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862.
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The Story of the Dove Cake is an Easter legend in Italy. Once there was a king who wanted to capture a city. His horse did not cooperated and would not enter battle. While trying to get his horse to charge through the city, a young girl offered the horse a piece of cake that was shaped like a dove, the bird of peace. Upon receiving this gift, the king decided not to conquer the city with his army after all.
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During the Middle Ages eggs were not allowed to be eaten as part of the Lenten fast. So Easter Sunday became a day to celebrate with the eating of eggs. Children used to go house to house, singing and begging for eggs. They were paid in hard-boiled eggs, dyed with vegetables such as beetroot (red), spinach (green), onions (yellow)and tea (brown).
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Patrick became the most successful missionary to Ireland. He dealt with local kings and through them reached their people. Patrick’s autobiography, Confessio, describes his encounters with fierce kings and proud druids. He Christianized primitive religions as he traveled through the country.
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Baptism has its roots in ancient practices that preceded Christianity. Jewish rituals of purification were centered on the cleansing of the body with water. Many Jewish customs found their way into the initiation rites of the Early Church.
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As a child, I recall watching my father (also brought up “low church”) enter “our pew” in church with a bow to the cross as he also bent with one knee to the floor. A puzzlement to me of which I never asked. Only my Catholic friends did those weird body gestures, including moving their hands all over their foreheads and chest when praying.
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Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, Christianity, genuflecting, prayer, traditions, worship Comments Off
Despite the fact that Pope Alexander II had ordered a very simple and somber way of “deposing” the Alleluia, a variety of farewell customs prevailed in many countries up to the sixteenth century.
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I live so close to Gillette stadium that my younger son and I thought we were under air attack when the jets made their flyover before the AFC Championship game in Foxboro, MA. We are not football fans and were going about our usual Sunday afternoon business when the Patriot’s–Raven’s game got underway.
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Tags: Christian formation, football, liturgy, Super Bowl, traditions Comments Off
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time to honor one’s elders and families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended families, usually their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
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Although Lenten regulations varied with time and place during the Middle Ages, this was the day all households were to use up all milk, eggs and fat to prepare for the strict fasting of Lent. These ingredients were made into pancakes, a meal which came to symbolize preparation for the discipline of Lent, from the English tradition
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Tags: children's ministry, family ministry, intergenerational, Lent, pancakes, Shrove Tuesday, traditions Comments Off
The feast of Christ’s epiphany or “manifestation” originated among the Christians of Egypt in the third century. The date of January 6 was probably chosen because the Egyptians celebrated their great feast of the winter solstice on that day, in honor of the sun god Horus.
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Tags: Christianity, Christmas, Epiphany, family ministry, intergenerational, Jesus, traditions Comments Off
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