By Faith Kemmler

Reaching into the dust of the earth, God began shaping humanity.
Satisfied with this new creation, God brought us to life with God’s own breath.
Enlivened through the breath of God, humanity came into being.
Not just alive, but alive to having needs.
Alive to a life inseparable from God.
From dust we have come,
And to dust we shall return,
Always in the hands of a loving God.

Ash Wednesday and Lent can be intimidating topics to broach with children. It is a struggle to face our own mortality, and far more difficult to encourage our young ones to do the same. Death and dying are taboo on their own and even more so when we think about how it relates to children.

But children, just like adults, are brought to life with the same God-filled breath. Young and old, we are alive with the same need for God’s love. And how wonderful that is!
This Lent, our children reflected on what it means to be a unique, wonderful, and good part of God’s creation. They drew self-portraits with ashes imposed on their foreheads. From ages 4 to 12, we contemplated what makes us unique. Around the children’s heads, they wrote about the characteristics God gifted them with.

At their baptisms, we as the body of Christ made a covenant with each child. We promised to guide and nurture them, to love and pray for them, and to encourage them to know and follow Christ. As you look through their portraits, remember these sacred baptismal covenants and consider how you can continue to uphold them.