Through baptism, children are welcomed into a faith community
with prayers, promises, and traditions—
water is poured over heads, the sign of the cross made,
and a child is named and claimed in love.
The child’s wet head is then patted dry - but with what cloth?

In the past, women in the church embroidered small pieces of cloth with a cross to be used for this task, and then saved as a remembrance of the day. But circumstances change, interests are replaced by other interests, time becomes scarce. Church practices adapt.

A creative and kind woman, yearning to honor tradition, saw an opportunity to use precious textiles that she had saved to keep the custom alive and serve the children and families of her faith community. So Dorothy Sohn took the beautiful pieces of cloth — napkins, handkerchiefs, table linens — that she had lovingly stored, and embroidered crosses on each one to be used for the baptism ceremony.

Unique and a thing to be cherished —

Thank you, Dorothy, for your thoughtful gifts!

Written by Joy Miller
Photo Collage Arranged by Joy Miller