Blessing Ritual for Those Receiving Driver's Licenses/Permits

At the invitation of the leader, participants come forward with their license/permit.  They are named, if known beforehand.

L: Earning a driver's permit or license is an important event in the life of a young person. The privilege of operating a motor vehicle is a sign of emerging maturity and independence. Just as we observe other important events in peoples' lives, such as confirmation, graduation, weddings, baptisms, the church should mark events such as this as well.

And so we gather today to bless these young people as they step into new responsibilities. The passage into adulthood is made with great effort and with pride by the young person, as well with the misgivings of their parents. Today we celebrate further evidence of your emerging life as mature members of our congregation.

The leader receives the licenses/permits from each participant and holds them up for all to see.

These are symbols of your emerging maturity. Carry them with humility as well as with pride. Carry them also as acknowledgement of your acceptance of God's gifts to you of freedom and of responsibility. Use them as the means and opportunity to be the people of God in a world that needs to know compassion and care.

Each time you fasten your seatbelt, remember that you go in God's peace. Have courage; hold to what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the faint hearted; support the weak; help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve our God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Leader returns the license/permit:

Let us pray: Oh God, our beginning and our ending, you kept Abraham and Sarah in safety throughout their days of pilgrimage. You led the children of Israel through the midst of the sea, and by a star you led the magi to the infant Jesus. Protect and guide those who stand here before us. Make their ways safe and their homecomings joyful. Stir up in them the gift of your Holy Spirit; confirm their faith, guide their lives, empower them in their serving, give them patience in their suffering, and bring them to everlasting life. Amen.

Peace be with you.