Nebraska Synod ELCA

by Gretchen Ahrens, Director for Youth and Justice Ministries

August’s theme is about cultivating NEW, which I love. As Lutherans, we are grounded in grace. We know that we are sinful beings who make mistakes. But we confess our sins, and we hear the good news of forgiveness. With the knowledge that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins, we begin again, rejoicing that the sin is gone, wiped away, and we are made new. It happens daily! As an ELCA campaign proclaimed, we are “always being made new.”

I like visual reminders of God’s good news. One great reminder of being made new is upcycling things we have in our homes. When we take something old and turn it into something new, we can not only be good stewards of God’s creation, caring for the gifts God has given us but we can also be reminded that we are always being made new.

Here are a few fun ideas:

Make a jump rope out of plastic grocery bags

**I love this idea because it’s simple, and your kids can help you with it. If your kids have ever made friendship bracelets, they will understand this project.  It doesn’t involve crocheting, and it doesn’t take forever. (I love the idea of the recycled bag sleeping mats, but they are really involved, and I seem to never get past step one.) This is a simple project that can be completed in a few hours. On the tape handles, take a sharpie and write “always being made new” to remind you and your kids of God’s never-ending love and forgiveness for us.

Make a necklace out of junk mail beads

**This project requires a little more patience and can get a bit messy with the glue,

but the result is really cool. I remember making these with my grandma when I was growing up. We  almost all have a bunch of junk mail to send to recycling. This could also be fun to do with kids’ school papers or church bulletins. You can make the necklaces as gifts to share with friends and family. Add a little note that says “I made something new out of something old for you. Remember that God is always making us new!”

Make a birdfeeder out of an egg carton

**This is a fun and easy project for all ages. You can keep a bird identification book and a pair of binoculars by the window to see what kind of birds your feed attracts. As you craft the birdfeeder, you can say a prayer of thanks that God makes all creation new. God cares for us, but he also cares for the earth. There are so many signs in creation of God making things new, from changing seasons to caterpillars turning into butterflies. 

Make a denim bag out of old jeans

**This is the most difficult project, as it involves a sewing machine (or a whole lot of hand sewing with a very thick needle). But the end product is worth it, and you have a useful bag that you can carry stuff in and a great way to remember your favorite jeans. If you leave the bag in your car and grab it when you are just running into the store for a few things,  you can avoid using so many plastic bags. You can take a sharpie and write on the bag handles, God loves me ALWAYS, or I AM ALWAYS BEING MADE NEW IN CHRIST, and when you get your groceries, you’ll be reminded of the Good News.