The Prayer Shawl Ministry
OUR VISION: To combine the care and love of knitting into a prayerful ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace.
OUR MISSION: To create several small groups who meet to knit or crochet prayer shawls, pray for those in the church family in need, pray and support each other, and to determine the blessing and distribution process for the shawls.
BACKGROUND: Shawls have been made for centuries and provide warmth and comfort to the wearer. The Prayer Shawl Ministry was created by Janet Bristow and Vicky Gallo as a project, while they were attending a program in applied Spirituality at the Women’s Leadership Institute in Hartford, CT. Weaving healing prayers into the fabric of the shawl has resulted in a new ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort. Shawls have been given to those during illness, recovery and at times of loss or in times of joy.
OUR PROGRAM: Prayer Shawl Ministry was shared with us at a Faith Circle Meeting on January 14, 2003 by Barbara Whitcher and Shirley Moser of The Congregational Church of Topsfield, MA.
From our own workshop held on February 1, 2003 we created several smaller groups – an environment in which to share with one another, pray for those in our church family, support one another and knit or crochet on your shawl! Prayer shawls will also be given at baptisms.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry Group has shawls that can be given to those who are in need of prayer.
How Can You Help?
- Pray for our ministry
- If you would like to knit with us, let us know. We will give you the yarn to make a shawl for us to distribute
- If you know of someone who is in need of a shawl, let us know.
- If you would like us to knit a shawl for you, we ask that you make a donation towards the cost of the yarn.
- You can always make a financial contribution to this ministry.
Contact:
Bonnie Glazier (978) 373-7086 or Lisa Quinnan (978) 374-8375
A Prayer Shawl
Your wings to take
You above your troubles.
Wrap it around yourself
When you are sad,
Happy, needing comfort,
Cold, ill, worried, at peace,
Needing answers, have no Questions,
Ministering
Socializing or praying.
Let it be a sacred place
Where you can
Meet your God-all
Encompassing,
Non-Judging
Where you can just be!
“May the Lord bless and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
[Numbers 6, vs.24-26]