Planting the Resurrection Garden
Children love to be outdoors working in the open air. On Sunday, March 26, the children in the atrium planted flowers in the resurrection garden, which is the garden enclosed in landscaping timbers located near the parking lot. As we walked quietly to the back entrance, it was hard to contain the children’s joy as they bounded out the door. They had planted this garden last year and knew what to do.
With little direction, they were able to create the garden in their way to symbolize the Easter story. First, they dug small holes and then gently cradled each small plant in their hands before setting it into the ground and patting the dirt carefully. One child kissed her plant. They then took turns using water from the rain barrel to water their plants. You will notice the small square stepping stones leading up to the tomb and the wooden cross. The tomb had a rock in front of the entrance.
On Easter morning, in the cold rain, one of the children remembered to roll the rock away to one side to symbolize Jesus’s resurrection. Two other children also went out to make sure the rock had been rolled to one side. Creating this garden has given the children a sense of connection to the Paschal Mystery.
Kim Deslaurier
April 17, 2023