Ash Wednesday at Home

Remember the game you played in Sunday School as a little kid: “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people!” Well. That’s not the case this Ash Wednesday! In Minnesota, we are expecting 19”-25”of snow, and so that means Ash Wednesday for families will be in the home. Here are some things you can do with your family:

Make a Cross: Use whatever materials you have at home to make a cross, or use one you have at home. Place it in the center of your table. 

Prayer: In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Jesus here gives us a way to pray with progressive intensity. First ask, then seek, and finally knock. With your kids, ask these questions about prayer, and then write a prayer together using their answers:

• What can we ask God about in prayer? For good health? Help with friendships? Stuck in the snow?
• What are some things we can seek out that we need from God in prayer? Forgiveness? Love? Joy?
• When  do we knock on God’s door in prayer? In an emergency? Cold Temperatures? Safety?

Ashes: Here is a simple way to make ashes: burn a small piece of paper in a metal bowl outside, and once cooled, add a little oil. If this is not an option, use dirt from a plant in your house. Take the ashes (or dirt), place a cross on each forehead, and say, “You are dust and to dust, you shall return.” 

Blessing: Gather everyone together, and bless each other with words of encouragement. For example: God loves [name of person], and I love [name one thing about that person you love]!