The Blessing Bowl and Stones for Congregational Milestones includes a beautifully hand-crafted 4 inch bowl and 10 stones. The 10 stones included in the Blessing Bowl and Stones for Congregational Milestones are related to the special events in the life of the congregation. They are: Baptism, Anniversary of Baptism, Entering Sunday School, Communion, Bible, Beginning Confirmation, Confirmation, Graduation, Marriage, and a Blank one for you to name your own milestone and place a reminder on this stone by writing or drawing a special meaning on it.These beautiful remembrances will keep congregations rejoicing over special events long after they happen. The 4 inch ceramic bowl* and stones are individually made, hand-painted, and glazed by Liturgical Artist Dawn Deines-Christensen.
* Note: Designs in bowls may vary. All are symbols of the Christian faith.

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO USE THE BLESSING BOWL AND STONES FOR CONGREGATIONAL MILESTONES:

• Use the Congregational Milestones Blessing Bowl set for devotions. Pass the bowl, inviting each attendee to select a stone, sharing a story about what a particular faith milestone meant and continues to mean in their life in Christ. Perfect for:
  
  • Congregational Staff retreats
  • Adult Bible study or Sunday school
  • Faith Formation Team meetings
  • Christian Education Team meetings
  • Children and Family Team meetings
  • Milestones Ministry Team meetings
• Purchase a bowl set for every child baptized in your congregation. At baptism, give the parents the bowl and baptism stone. For the first baptism anniversary, give that stone, as the family and faith family mark that milestone together. Give the other stones, one at a time for each subsequent milestone. Invite the family to leave the bowl and stones out as a way to initiate family conversations about the significance of each milestone in the life of the child. If the congregation does not give the bowl and stones in this way, consider this as a gift the parents, grandparents, baptismal sponsor, or godparent can give to the child.
• Use in New Member, Getting Ready for Marriage, Sunday school, or confirmation classes as a conversation starter to help new members, engaged couples, and children/youth begin to talk about their faith story, discuss how they would like to continue and deepen this faith life together, and understand the importance of each milestone in their faith life.
• Use as a preview during a pre-Baptism Class to describe how all faith milestones are related to Baptism.
• Use in a Christian parenting class or support group to help parents understand the promises God made to their child in Baptism and the promises they made on behalf of the child in Baptism.
• Use one stone a month as a topic of an article in the congregation’s newsletter, to help refresh the members’ awareness of the promises that they as a congregation made to each child baptized in their midst.