Copyright © 2026 Women of the ELCA. Reprint permission is granted for use in Women of the ELCA units, clusters/conferences and synodical women’s organizations provided each post is reproduced in its entirety. If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.
Blessings are a big part of what we do in church. We end worship with a blessing, and when a person is baptized, we bless them. We also share blessings at Confirmation, Reaffirmation of Baptism, weddings, confession and forgiveness, funerals, and ordinations. We ask God to bless houses, new church buildings or sacred spaces like memorial gardens. Blessings in the Church are kind of a big deal. Why?
It’s because blessings are not just words. Blessings are not just the sign of the cross on a person’s head. Blessings claim us as God’s own and remind us of God’s love and presence. Blessings help us experience God’s love and presence through the person blessing us and through the words that are said. Blessings help usher us into a special moment of God’s grace and love.
Blessings don’t have to be super churchy to make a difference. Blessings can be as simple as a card or a text message to let someone know we are thinking about them or a bag of food left at someone’s front door with a note of encouragement. Because we are first blessed by God, we are able to bless others.
This message is excerpted from “Blessings” by Becca Ehrlich from the December 20, 2024, blog of the Women of the ELCA.