Week 28: Spring / Element: Water

Ritual Celebration 3: Spring Equinox

Gathering date that falls closest to the Spring Equinox.

Each seasonal Ritual Celebration is designed to be intimate (you and the children), or larger so your greater community or community partners may be invited for a time of prayer and ceremony. The celebration might be twenty minutes or it could become a half-day festival that happens on or off site. Be creative! Build community! Celebrate!

Theme(s): Making Room for New Life; Water is Cleansing; Water is a Blessing to Protect.

Additional Christian Context: If you would like to make this seasonal ritual and celebration more directly connected to the Christian calendar and liturgy, consider the following points for emphasis:

• • This ritual may parallel or overlap with your community’s Holy Week or Easter service(s). Add favorite songs or hymns.
  • Include eggs or lilies on the cross in the altar set-up
  • Speak to the symbolism of Jesus’s resurrection being like the return of spring.
  • The rosewater could be used for foot washing or hand washing (Maundy Thursday)

• Preparation for Spring Equinox Ritual Celebration:* If the altar needed to be taken down, you will need to re-establish the altar with the altar cloth(s) and items you provided at your last class with the kids.* If the children were invited to bring additional altar items on their own, you may wish to send a reminder message a few days before, and be sure the altar has space for their additional offerings.* The large altar candle that has been at each ritual this year, a second candle (it does not need to match) and matches/lighter. * (optional) Fresh flowers for the altar* A medium sized bowl with water* A small dish with flower petals, pebbles, shells or even marbles (enough for each participant to have one or two)

  * Rose Water Spray

  * Share the list of “various ways to protect/ care for water” that was created at the last session (could be written on dry erase/chalkboard or flipchart) so everyone can choose one or more.

  * Spring-themed refreshments. Ideas: seasonal sliced fruit, chocolate eggs, gummy worms or jelly beans, and water with lemon or strawberry slices

  * “Hello, Sun!” Sun Salutation video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tkAzN0Pw4

  Or: “Peaceful Pause” photo instructions on final page of this lesson

  Music Options:
  Let That Water Wash Over Me, By Peia
  https://open.spotify.com/track/ 5ljy5rYAWTEH8eapCi C2Mu?si=a9456db7c1f040a

  Or: The Water Song, By Manoa and various artists (such amazing lyrics!) https://watersongs.bandcamp.com/track/the- water-song

  Be sure to click here to download the Teaching Introduction and Instructions.