Prayer Shawl Ministry
Needles Click, Warmth Spreads…
Twice a month, the small parlor off the Sanctuary fills with sounds of chatter, the smell of coffee and the sounds of good friends coming together for a common cause. It’s Westminster’s Prayer Shawl Ministry. The group started in February 2004. To date, they have given away nearly 500 prayer shawls. Recipients have ranged from new parents to members who have suffered the loss of a loved one. One of the most memorable special projects was their “Save the Penguins” project in 2014. Members knitted sweaters for penguins that had been affected by oil spills in Australia.
We learned the penguins in Australia were in need of hand knitted sweaters to wear. It sounded intriguing! Penguins are being covered in oil from oil spills in the ocean. They are poisoned and die from picking at the oil on their feathers. The sweaters provide a barrier to prevent them from ingesting the oil before workers are able to clean it off. A request went out over the internet that included a pattern for the sweater. We went right to work! And now, we are packing a box full of sweaters to mail off to Australia. Our group is excited to help protect God’s creatures in our own small way. “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.” Proverbs 12:10 (NIV) -Linda Smith
Before prayer shawls and scarves leave the hands of the ministry , members of the group bless the items. It is a moving part of the ministry. Here, Mary Jo Crull says a prayer over scarves that will eventually go to the Loaves & Fishes Pantry.
Specially designed tie quilts were made the Prayer Shawl Ministry for Arafat and Dureti Ali upon their baptism and confirmation at Westminster.
Beautiful baby blankets knitted by our Prayer Shawl Ministry for the Ronald McDonald Room at St. Luke's Hospital.
Led by Karol Cooper, this industrious group will even show you how to knit if you'd like to join. Anyone who has ever benefited from the comfort of a prayer shawl during a difficult time in life can attest to just how special this ministry is. Know someone who could benefit from a shawl? Call the office and let us know. We'll make sure you get one!
Antoinette Mukakabanda, an immigrant from Rwanda, learned to knit from the Prayer Shawl Ministry.
