Pentecost Pinwheels

Happy Friday! We made it to the holiday weekend. Can you believe it?

We celebrate Memorial Day, and in my faith tradition, we'll be celebrating Pentecost (50 days after Easter), too. It's the birthday of the Church...so we're going to party!

We're making Pentecost Pinwheels. Ever since I was a little girl, shopping with my mother, I have been fascinated with pinwheels. When I used to whine and fuss, she'd treat me to a simple pinwheel and my world would be made.

This is very much a Macgyver craft. All you need is a square piece of paper, scissors, a pin, and a straw (or pencil with eraser top). For our craft we crafted with our unused Chick-Fil-A straws (from dinner last night) and sparkly pipe cleaners, too.

I was inspired when I saw Jennifer's use of the pinwheel to explain the work of the Holy Spirit, and I also wanted to include the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit since both of my little ladies have been learning about them in school lately.

So, to all pinwheel newbies, no worries. Here's what you do:

1. Cut a square of paper. The lighter weight of paper you have, the better to make a functional pinwheel.  For ours I didn't stress over functionality and glued two pieces of construction paper together, on.

2. Cut four diagonal lines, one at each corner, leaving a small circle of uncut paper in the middle.

3. If desired, write the gift of the Holy Spirit on the front and back flaps (awe, reverence, courage, knowledge, good judgement, wisdom, understanding). I added in the word Pentecost and a dove as the eighth flap.

4. Fold down alternating wings of the pinwheel and poke a straight pin through the ends of all four.

5. Poke the remaining pin into a straw. I covered the sharp end of the straight pin by wrapping a pipe cleaner around it.

As we breathe out to move the pinwheel, we remember the presence of the Spirit alive within us and around us. Happy Pentecost!

And happy loooonnng weekend, friends. I hope the holiday of it all seems endless to you! Meetcha back here next week.

XOXO,

MJ

 

"Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. After Jesus rose on Easter, he appeared to the apostles over the next 40 days, teaching them the significance of what had happened to Him. They listened, but didn’t really understand, so Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would enlighten them and give them everything they would need to carry the Good News to people all over the world."

Helpful information like this found here at OSV.