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Prayer Shawl Story

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April 2004
We got a reprint of your article in the Lutheran from a fellow Lutheran from Bethlehem Lutheran Church in
Los Alamos, New Mexico, Marge Rich. I thought you might like to know we are having an organizational meeting
at Kinsmen Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas to start a prayer shawl ministry here. We have three shawls done already, and hope we have a good turnout, Monday. I did as you suggested and put it in the Sunday Bulletin and it will be in the May Newsletter. One of the ladies ( whose husband will get a shawl unbeknownst to her ) has volunteered to teach new knitters. We have already had yarn and a few dollars donated. We put a receptacle in
the narthex for donations.

We are also going to probably knit some baby blankets as a Baptism gift in addition to the first Bible and wooden chest they receive. This idea came from our ladies Bible study! Of course, we will change our
prayers to be for guidance, growth, and learning to know Christ, etc. And we don't have time to knit them before May 23, but our Women's Bible study group wants to give a prayer shawl to the graduating seniors of our church on
that Sunday. ( We have 25 ). Therefore we bought fleece and cut them into stoles hat are 20"x60" . Off white for the girls, soft gray for the boys. We will stencil a neat contemporary cross on the right chest ( just below the shoulder) so it shows, in green, our church color......to denote growth and life. These will be accompanied with a card with Jeremiah 29:11-12, on one page and the benediction on the facing page, and the front with the same cross as on their stoles. We have 25 graduating seniors, which is why we have a time crunch.

We are so excited about the response and enthusiasm of our group, and how it has just expanded before we even have started. Isn't God astounding? I am also grateful to Marge for telling me about this and giving me the information and her enthusiasm about their ministry at Bethlehem Lutheran.

QUESTION: I have just a few questions: Does the K3 P3 pattern represent the Trinity?
ANSWER: Yes, the K3 P3 pattern is symbolic of the Holy Trinity and as we knit we pray and reflect on the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.


QUESTION: Is it OK if we make our prayer shawls a little smaller, as we are all slow knitters, and what size would you suggest? We thought maybe cast on 48 stitches on 13 needles, and maybe only 5 feet long. Do you think that
is adequate?
ANSWER: Please feel free to be creative! Try using smaller or larger knitting needles or crochet hooks and see how the different needles produce different styles of prayer shawls. Also, try using various numbers of stitches - lengths and widths - using smaller or larger numbers of stitches as you cast on the first row of stitches. Each different number of stitches cast on the prayer shawl will produce a different width. Just remember to use multiples of three and that you begin and end with K3 for each row so the pattern K3 P3 K3 etc. . . will be carried out for each prayer shawl.


QUESTION: We are in Houston, where summer is greater than 95 degrees most of the time and spring and fall 70's and winter is 50's.
ANSWER: Try using larger needles (13 or greater) and this will produce a lighter, more open weave prayer shawl that will feel lighter and cooler in your lap as you knit and will not be as heavy or warm as you make the prayer shawl. Keep this in mind for the recipient as well - if someone lives in a warmer climate, use larger needles; if someone lives in a cooler climate, use smaller needles.


QUESTION: We have some bright red yarn. Are bright colors OK or do you think subdued colors are better? I know it probably depends on the recipient, so maybe overall it doesn't matter.
ANSWER: Using soft yarn, such as Lion Brand Homespun or soft baby yarn (sometimes I use two strands of baby yarn) is wonderful to use for those who are ill and it is easy to wash in a washing machine and can be dried in a dryer. It may be helpful to have five or six different yarn colors that you can offer and let the recipient choose which color she/he would prefer. You can see the yarn colors I use on the ordering page of this web site.


QUESTION: Any suggestions you have from your experience would be greatly appreciated, as we are feedings at this... but our hearts are willing.
ANSWER: This web site offers information that will help you to begin your prayer shawl ministry and there are helpful hints that others have shared with me that have been beneficial to their ministries. If you need any additional assistance, you can contact me at WaitingRoomMinistry@msn.com

Thank you for taking the time to help us, and please pray for our ministry to be of help and an inspiration for the recipients, and that God will be glorified as a part of this ministry. Thank you so much for answering so promptly. I will take this to our first meeting on Monday, May 4, 2004.

You certainly may use our story on your your website. We would be honored and it reflects how God's power is so infinitely multiplied. One of our ladies has a small prayer shawl she received from an Episcopalian friend, so you see your ministry is really like the ripples on the water!

Thank you for your prayers and blessings for our ministry and we will keep yours in our prayers.
Fondly.
Judy Clark
Spring, Texas
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November 2003
I have cancer and received a wonderful prayer shawl from one of my
friends - I can't tell you how much peace and comfort it gives me. The
first few nights I used it, I cried, to think someone I had never met
worked so hard making the shawl for me and all the prayers were
overwhelming. After a few nights I realized I needed to make some
shawls to help other people. We are starting a new ministry at our
church and I have a few questions I hope you can answer for me. I
have made my first one for a very sick infant and I said the prayer
before knitting, and then I pray the rosary the whole time I am knitting.
Is that what you do? Also, how often do the ladies get together to
knit at church, and when does your priest bless them, at the meetings
or at mass? I haven't knit for many years and am having trouble with
the simple pattern -- do you knit 3, purl 3 for the first row and then
knit 6, purl 3 the next row? Thank you for any help you can give me
-- we will be starting our ministry Dec 2nd and am really looking forward
to it. Thank you for all your help. What a wonderful way to reach out to
others -- you can't imagine how powerful the shawls are until you have
been sick and received one. God Bless You.
Love, Colleen Claugherty, St Paul, Mn

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August 2003
The prayer shawl ministry I started at our church has evolved into
three charity knitting groups in three different small towns. It was
easy to start the two new groups with just a couple of short
newspaper articles. Members are becoming friends and knitting caps,
scarves, blankets, mittens, and -- of course -- shawls.

Members of the original group continue to make and present shawls
within the church where the knitting circle began. In the two new groups,
which are not church-based, I have explained the prayer shawl concept
and handed out the prayers with the instructions. I've encouraged those
who make the shawls to present them to someone they know. If they
want to give them to me for distribution, I see that they get to a group
in Minnesota that is gathering shawls in memory of Senator Paul Wellstone
and his wife Sheila who were killed last fall in a plane crash. The shawls
are given to women who have lost a loved one to domestic violence.

Did you ever dream that the article in THE LUTHERAN would set off such
a chain of events all over the world? I hope you continue to be inspired by
the email you receive, and I hope you're still knitting!
May God continue to bless you and your work, Bette.

Your friend, Marge
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July 2003
Good Shepherd Lutheran in Waukesha, Wisconsin, has a Health Ministry Team
(HMT) led by a nurse who has since become a parish nurse in another
congregation. Julie brought the idea of a prayer shawl ministry to the HMT,
and we've begun. One recent Sunday we dedicated 4 prayer shawls and gave one
immediately to a lady who d that day been able to return to worship after several
weeks absence because of illness. The following Thursday our prayer group laid
hands on and dedicated another shawl that Pastor delivered to a young man
recovering from a broken leg. The last Sunday in June we dedicated two more and
heard a report from a member of HMT who'd delivered one from the previous
dedication. Pastor Thomas-Breitfeld announced we'd dedicate prayer shawls the
last Sunday of each month, giving us yarn-workers notice we had a whole month
to complete another one. Sunday July 13 a man who'd received a prayer shawl
from the first group dedicated was able to be in worship and share his thanks for
the prayers and the prayer shawl from the congregation. I've knit one with a
circular needle and one with a straight rake knitter. I've crocheted several. I
plan to knit into my next one the faith statement: Everybody believes
something. I believe Jesus loves you, too. I'll use the dots and dashes of
international Morse code with figure-8 stitches for letters and straight
stitches for spaces. Thank you for sharing your idea and the stories from
other prayer shawl makers.
Blessings to you in your ministry,
Beth Hoffmann
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May 2003
I am part of the health ministry team at Community Memorial Hospital in
Menomonee Falls, WI. Someone told us that they received a prayer shawl
while hospitalized. After looking into the prayer shawl ministry, we decided
to initiate one at our hospital. Initially, we received a grant for enough
yarn for 15 shawls. My supervisor and I made eight knitted prayer shawls.
We immediately found people who needed them. We involved our volunteer
services and met with 15 volunteers who were willing to knit or crochet
more shawls. Some of them reported that they are greatly moved by this
ministry. The shawls are being given away and the response of the
recipients are gratifying. We are applying for other grants to continue
supplying yarn to our volunteers.
Nancy Beauchamp
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May 2003
Thank you so much for your prompt response - Our church is called
"Living Spirit" we are a United Methodist Congregation and are also
a very new church start - our first worship service was held
Dec. 2, 2001 - we meet for worship in an elementary school
auditorium - currently we have about 20 families who attend -
Our church is located in Exeter Township, PA - just south and east
of Reading, PA Before entering the ministry I was very much involved
in the women's group at my home church and in particular their
needlework circle - in that circle there are many knitters, crocheters,
and sewers - a large part of their ministry is supporting two clothing
rooms - the clothing rooms serve needy people and give out gently
used clothing to anyone who asks for it - the needlework circle
contributes the only new items available to clients at the clothing
rooms - since entering the ministry, of course, I have not been as
involved - but I have continued to make a few sweaters and hats to
contribute - I believe strongly in the power of prayer and many know
me as a fervent intercessor and prayer warrior - in our new
congregation we are entering a season of teaching on prayer and its
foundational importance - I am trying to instill in folk the idea of
"praying constantly" and am always on the look-out for ways to add
prayer to something we are already doing - and I try to lead by
example - my congregation knows that I knit to relax - not only will
knitting a prayer shawl add to my devotional time but it will also
serve as a teaching tool for the congregation God has blessed me
with - I already know who will receive the first shawl - her name
came immediately to mind as I read the article - a member of my
congregation is in stage 3 cancer - she is going through very rigorous
and aggressive chemo therapy and is very sick - the second shawl
will go to her adult daughter who has been plunged into depression
because of the sudden idea that she may soon lose her mother
(her father died when she was only 12 and it has been the two of
them ever since) - they both know that I pray for them and they
say that the knowledge of that brings them comfort - but being able
to physically wrap up in that comfort seems incredible - thank you
for this beautiful idea! and for so willingly sharing it with others!
May God continue to bless you and your ministry!
Claire Mullarkey
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May 2003
You must continue to be overwhelmed by requests concerning
his spiritual outreach--------indeed the world is hurting and a prayer shawl
brings comfort and Christian love in a very special way. Our group of 14
knitters began in January and have shared 30 shawls--- the receivers most
grateful and comforted! We who knit have found it meditative and enriching
to our spiritual lives. Thank you-------God has guided you to a wonderful
ministry of caring. Because we have the prayer ministry on our web-site
-------it has been amazing to have requests from all over the country
for how to begin this ministry-----we refer them to you. May God continue
to bless you------
Marilyn Waehler/St Paul Lutheran Church, Arlington, Ma
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My sister in Austin, TX sent a shawl made in Florida to our dying cousin
in Jackson, WY. After Melanie died, I brought the shawl to my friend Janice,
whose Jewish husband of 40 years was dying of cancer. She put it on the
pillow the morning he died. It is bringing her great comfort now in her own
grieving process. She wears it around her shoulders as she says her prayers.
The evenings are especially difficult and that is a time when her shawl is
very dear to her. She plans on giving it to someone else when she doesn't
need it any longer. Now, she and another Bible Study partner are interested
in making and sharing prayer shawls...
Thank you for your beautiful ministry.
In peace,
Diane Pritchard Grand Lake, CO
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April 10, 2003
I thought I would touch base with you and let you know that our
Prayer Shawl ministry has blossomed to a wonderful witness to our Lord
and Savior. We have given 44 Prayer Shawl and Prayer blankets to date.
We began in February of 2002. This ministry has surpassed our wildest
dreams. We have had the opportunity to share the Lord's gifts with
many Lutherans and other Christians. Our small knitting corps, has
expressed their comfort in preparing these shawls. Thank you for your
article that brought this idea to us.
Debbee, Resurrection Lutheran Church of Coronado, CA

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April 2003
I am writing to share just one of the stories we have about our new
prayer shawl ministry. We gave our first shawl to our pastor on
Feb. 23 and in the 5 weeks since then we have 11 creators of
shawls who have created 17 shawls that have blessed many in
our congregations.

We are so full of awe and joy in every aspect of this ministry.
One lady has made 5 in about 2 weeks. She just loves doing them.
They have been given in many circumstances from a very ill baby
to the president of our congregation to a man who died only a few
hours after receiving his. His last words as he left his home to go
to the hospital were, "Where's my prayer shawl. Get my prayer
shawl." Every aspect, praying over them, creating them, giving
them, receiving them, sharing the love of Christ through them in
cancer treatment waiting rooms, buying gift bags and the yarn
to make them---everyone is blessed.

Thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you to bring
this opportunity to share Christ's love!

Now here is a letter we received this week from a 26 yr.-old blind
young lady (as a result of illness)in our church. She attends worship
regularly, getting about thru the use of a cane and the supportive
arm of her mother. It is hand printed, looking much like a child's
script, so I feel certain she wrote it herself.

"Dear Prayer Shawl Team Makers,

I want to thank you for the beautiful shawl. I may not be able to
physically see it, but I see the beauty it has that is not seen with the
eyes. It has been described to me so I have seen it physically in my
mind. The shawls are full of beauty that is not seen with the eyes
because they are filled with love and this is what I see every time I
use it. Since I am always cold I've used it several times in the short
time I've had it. This shawl fills me with love and warmth and I thank
you for all your prayers. Your thoughts, concerns, and prayers are
greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for everything.
Thank you again. Kandi"

The prayers team members feel incredibly blessed that God would
lead us to this ministry.

So just wanted to tell how things have been going for us and
to say thank you.

Shalom--

Marilyn Jaster

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March 2003

Thank you for your reply with great information and direction.
I just placed an order for a back issue of Pray! Magazine so I can
read the article that features you. I would like to have that in hand
as I begin this ministry. I believe our first meeting will be in April
and I think I will have a morning and a night meeting to catch more
people who might be interested.

I think your website was the most helpful of all I found last night
as I did searches on the internet. Thank you for sharing so orderly
how one can begin this ministry and how to knit/crochet such
shawls as well as how to give them away.
I can't wait to discover new friends and ministry through this craft.
In Him with you,
Denise
Tulsa, OK

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February 2003-
More than a year ago, you were kind enough to send me directions
for your prayer shawl. I thought you might be interested to know
that my first prayer shawl had a wonderful "pay if forward" affect.

I have now made several, mostly for friends (and some strangers)
undergoing breast cancer surgery and chemotherapy. Four of them
have gone on to make shawls for others in their cancer support
groups. In fact, when I stopped by the place where I have my film
developed the other day - there was my third prayer shawl recipient
knitting away. She was working on her fifth prayer shawl!

Even though knitting is not a very "California" thing, several others
in my church have asked me to teach them to knit just so they could
make a prayer shawl for someone. It has also been an interesting
evangelism tool - I take my knitting to my children's sports practices
and the kids are fascinated by what I am doing.

So, I just thought you might like to know of the many blessings the
prayer shawl has brought to me and many others way out here in
Southern California.

Blessings to you!
Linda Howard
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January 2, 2003-
Just a year ago I began the prayer shawl ministry at our church.
Last week I presented the twenty-fifth shawl from our group.
The recipient, who was facing back surgery and is an artist,
cried because she said no one ever makes beautiful things for
her because they are afraid they won't be good enough.
She found my humble shawl beautiful and hung on for dear
life. How your idea has spread and spread and blessed a
world so in need of love and healing. May God continue
to bless you and the shawls, dear Bette.
Your friend,
Marge Lundeen
St. John's Lutheran Church, Howard Lake, MN
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December 22, 2002-

Many thanks for your blessings and information about the Prayer
Shawls. This morning at our 10:15 service, five prayer shawls were
blessed in a lovely simple ceremony. Following, many people shared
their interest, some with desire to participate, others wishing to have
shawls for someone they know. The word is spreading, and it is great
to know that others will be comforted by this ministry.
We are including the crochet pattern in our Prayer Shawl Packet.
Thank you.
Blessings,
Edie-Ellen Newburyport, MA
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ST. PETERS LUTHERAN, CAPE COD -
OCTOBER 13, 2002 MINISTRY DEDICATION

We began to plant seed
thoughts back in the spring, and now have 22 women involved
in knitting and 15 shawls completed. We have just developed a
prayer card to go along with our gifts and have identified 4 teams
of 2 who will make the visits and deliver our prayer shawls / lap
blankets. What a variety, showing the individuality of each knitter.
I am on staff as AIM and serving to coordinate this ministry.
It has grown out of our formulation of a Pastoral Care Team that
was formulated a year and a half ago. May God continue to bless
you in your serving.

We had our service of blessing for our shawl ministry yesterday at
both services, on Sunday, October 13, 2002. Thanks to your input
I created a litany that our pastor and I did with congregation
responses. We did this after I shared some information on the
development of the ministry, then I read the names of those who
were participating in the ministry, those who have knitted and those
who will be on the visitation teams. It was beautiful to see 18 mantles
of healing draped across out altar rails and then at the second service
4 more shawls were brought to worship. We also gained 2 more knitters
yesterday, one a new young Mom, who wants to learn to knit and have
already paired her up with someone who is ready to teach and support.
The other new knitter is a woman who worships regularly but hasn't
chosen to join, have difficulty letting go of her present home
congregation which is off Cape. The ministry is opening up an opportunity
for us to get to know her better. My spirit is warmed with the possibilities
for ministry that lie ahead. There was also a visiting pastor, who wanted
information, said she thought the time "was right" to introduce the ministry
to her congregation in up state NY. So I will send all the info we have
developed to her. God bless you in your continued out reach and serving.

In Christ
Nancy Emerson, AIM
St. Peters Lutheran Church
Cape Cod

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Our church has tons of quilters (with a huge quilting mission)
and relatively none who crochet or knit. So, I've been crocheting
prayer shawls on an individual basis for a few people. I've done
several for new babies and just finished one for a man in our
congregation that was recently widowed. It is nice to sit and
think about someone and "weave" the prayers into the work.
Crocheting always was relaxing for me... now it is even more
rewarding. I'm thinking about doing a "winter school"
(our church does this in February so that people who have
talents can share/ teach them to other members of the congregation)
and teaching crochet - with either a prayer shawl as the project
for a local relief agency - or- Lutheran World Relief has a project
to do layette kits for newborns in refugee camps. You put together
diapers and a few other necessities with a knitted/crocheted baby
blanket and a sweater. I guess our project may take a life of its
own, but I'm glad to do it any way that works!

Kathy Knox
St. Paul's Lutheran, Oklahoma City

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A Prayer Shawl Ministry

On Easter Monday, I got a phone call from my brother,
Mark, with the news that our other brother had been severely
injured in a motorcycle accident Easter Sunday evening. He was
going back into surgery to repair a torn aorta. Only 1% of folks
with a torn aorta survive, we were told. The need for this
surgery became evident when Colin came out of his first surgery
to repair a broken leg. When he awoke, he no longer had any
feeling below his waist. Tests revealed the torn aorta and a
dissection of the artery which had prevented blood flow to the
legs. The news was not good. As my mother and I made plans to
fly to Colorado Springs, I made a trip to the craft store to
buy yarn and that night I started a prayer shawl for Colin.
By Wednesday we were in Colorado and the shawl was about 1/3
completed. Over the next week, as Colin went in and out of
surgery, fighting for survival, the knitting helped me find
peace. The litany of In the Name of God, the creator, giver
of life, keeper! of time... gave me all sorts of new thoughts
in thinking about our Triune God, and the roles each part of
the Trinity plays. I found the pattern of knit 3, purl 3,
taking on the mantra of the Trinity. The knitting became a
ministry in the waiting room of the ICU unit. As people asked
me what I was making, I shared that I was knitting the prayers
of the people into a prayer shawl for Colin. The shawl became
a symbol for others waiting with us. Knit faster, Keep knitting
became words of encouragement for the visible actions of our
prayers. When Colin had to have both legs amputated, the
knitting went on. I finished the shawl the day before Mom and
I had to leave to go back home. Colin was not conscious when I
left the shawl for him on his bedside with a note describing
the prayers it contained. Mom and I had not been home more than
a week when another call came this time it was the local hospital
my mother had suffered a heart attack. Another trip to the craft
store and another shawl was started. Another ministry was begun
in the Cardiac Care unit. Now, I have good news to share! My
mother is doing well. A stent put in during angioplasty surgery
has opened up the blockage. She did not suffer heart damage
during the attack. And after two months in the ICU room, Colin
was moved to the rehab floor to begin the hard work of
regaining lost muscle strength and learning new skills for
mobility. We praise God for His miracles. For keeping time
for us, for sending the comforter and consoler, and for His
son Jesus, savior and healer. I also thank God for Bette's
ministry and the many blessings discovered through
knitting a prayer shawl.
Diane Kauffman

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Since The Lutheran ran its article on your prayer shawl ministry,
my church, Pilgrim Lutheran in Puyallup, Washington has organized
a women's circle with the project of knitting prayer shawls. There
are eight of us with more knitting who cannot come to our once a
month gatherings. We have given away 15 prayer shawls so far to
hurting people from age 94 to 14 who are struggling with grief,
cancer, depression and chronic illness. What a blessing it has been
for us to be involved in this wonderful way to spread God's love
and care.
In April I attended a Parish Nurse Coordinator meeting in
Beaverton, Oregon and I shared the idea with the 14 coordinators
from the state of Oregon and Washington. These coordinators
oversee a group of up to 40 Parish Nurses in different churches,
many of them not Lutheran, and they are sharing with them, the
idea and the knitting instructions. My brother-in-law who lives in
Eastern Washington and attends an Episcopal church, said his
church secretary had crochet instructions for the shawls and so I
sent those along for the coordinators. So, there are now
instructions for those who crochet but don't knit.
This wonderful idea is taking off and I would imagine that this is
happening all over the country because of The Lutheran's article.
I thought you might want to hear how your idea is spreading.
God bless you for your work and for enabling others to serve
in a quiet but meaningful way.

In Christ,
Nancy Haughee, Parish Nurse
Pilgrim Lutheran Church

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This is a story about how I became interested in knitting afghans
for Hospice of Chattanooga. In 1995 a very dear friend of mine died
of multiple cancers and at the end of her life she was under the
care of Hospice. The organization's doctors, nurses, and social
workers were so compassionate and attentive to Mary Jane and
her family, that I wanted to give something back to Hospice.
Hospice has a project called K. O. O. L. (Knit Out Of Love)
for those who knit and/or crochet. Volunteers can knit any size
afghan or shawl and Hospice would even furnish the yarn; however,
I prefer to buy my own knitting worsted yarn that can be machine
washed and dried, and use the colors I enjoy knitting. Since 1996,
I have made 132 knitted afghans (lap robes) for Hospice. This year,
for the second year in a row, I was honored at the Volunteer
Appreciation Luncheon with an award as the K. O. O. L. knitter who
had knit the most afghans in a year - 26 this year. When I started
K. O. O. L. knitting, I never knew who received my afghans, but in
recent years, I have been receiving thank you notes from people
whose family members received one of my afghans. One woman
even enclosed a check for $25, "to buy more yarn to knit another
afghan for someone else," she said. I wrote her a note thanking her
for the check and to tell her I had, in turn, sent the check to
Hospice in honor of her and her husband.
If any of you are interested, this is the pattern I use:
DIAGONAL AFGHAN Size 8 or 9, circular needle in 29 or 36" length
(I prefer circular needles instead of straight ones) 30 oz. of knitting
worsted (variegated yarns make up very pretty in this pattern)
Cast on 5 stitches.
AFGHAN IS KNIT IN GARTER STITCH: KNIT ALL ROWS.
Row 1: Knit all stitches.
Row 2: (Increase row) K 3 stitches, YO (Yarn Over), K to end of row.
Repeat Row 2 until your piece measures between 42 and 45"along one
edge. This will be half the size of the afghan square you are knitting.
(Decrease row): K 2, K 2 tog (together), YO, K2 tog, K to end of row.
Repeat this decrease row until 7 stitches remain.
Next row: K2, K2 tog (twice), K 1 Bind off these 5 stitches.
Note: The Yarn Over in this pattern makes a very neat "beading"
border for your afghan. No need for fringe, which would hinder
the workings of a wheel chair. As the name of the pattern implies,
this afghan is knit from corner to corner, so on a person's lap,
the ridges run diagonally.

Signed: Ginny

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Dear Bette:
I am updating you on our progress with prayer shawls. I
requested and received the pattern the end of January (I think).
We presented the mission to our pastors and the congregation.
The staff was extremely excited about it and we proceeded to
put out the information through the bulletin and church
newsletter. We hoped to get 10 - 15 interested knitters, and low
and behold we have 57 knitters signed up. They are all busy
knitting at this time. Today, April 4, we are having out first
Pray One, Knit One knitting groups meet at the church. Those
who prefer afternoon hours are meeting at 1 p.m. Those who
prefer evening hours are meeting at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of
the group meetings is to help those knitters who are just
learning to knit and also, to have a social group to share
ideas and get to know each other. It will be fun to have
people together who have a common mission in our church. Our
pastor has suggested that we make some various sized shawls to
give to children in hospitals and also tiny ones for infants
born who are in the Special Care Nursery. Our knitters to have
their work cut out for them!!! I believe we are blessed to be
a blessing!!

Our congregation did approve the calling of the 4th full time
pastor -- Pastor for the Seniors. The call committee is busy
with their job -- and we expect to have that staff person on
board by the end of the summer. Whoever that is will be happy
to see the knitters ready to help him, I believe.

I was excited to see the Editorial in the February Lutheran
Magazine featuring Prayer Shawls. You have really made a
splash in the Christian Caring Community!!!
Thank you very much!!!

Joann Turner
St. Lukes Lutheran Church
Middleton, WI 53562

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Several people from Faith Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon, Ohio
attended The Third Annual Tri-Synodical Prayer Seminar,
March 8 and 9, 2002, in Mansfield, Ohio. One of the workshops
we attended was the Prayer Shawl Ministry. We talked about the
Prayer Shawl Ministry on the way home from the seminar.

During the winter, I crocheted two baby blankets from scrap yarn
and had not given them to anyone. Adeline, a little baby in our
congregation has a hole in her heart. It was repaired surgically,
Monday March 18, a few days before she is four months old. We
delivered a blanket to her today in Children's Hospital, Columbus,
Ohio and gave a blanket to her 3 1/2 year old sister, Emma who has
been a strong little girl during this family crisis. The prayer
given with the shawl was edited to make it more personal.
John 14:27 was included with sister's shawl. Meghan, the mother,
was so happy we brought the blankets to her girls. We took a
picture of the recipients of our first and second prayer shawls
with their father. Blessings. We will continue to pray for the
family.

Martha Clark
Faith Lutheran Church
Mount Vernon, Ohio

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The pastors at our church have been encouraging us to find a way to
grow in faith and service. When I read the article in THE LUTHERAN
about the Prayer Shawl Ministry, I knew I had found my way to serve.
I couldn't stop thinking about it-----it was special.
I mentioned the ministry to pastors and friends to get their reactions.
Everyone said, "Do it!" So with the pastor's encouragement, my
husband's generous support and Bette's list of suggestions, I began.
I found the yarn and I started knitting
(don't waste time experimenting with other yarns,
the Homespun yarn is what makes it so special)
I made copies of the pattern, prayers, and presentation cards. I
asked friends to deliver the shawls. I found zip-lock 2 gal. storage
bags that are just right to hold the shawl, the presentation card,
a written prayer and a wrapper from the yarn,( so our friends know
what kind of yarn we use and the care instructions). I was ready!
On Feb. 17, six shawls draped the altars in traditional and
contemporary services. The pastors introduced the new ministry
and invited everyone to hold and add prayers to the shawls after
they took communion ------and they did. My very good friends in
The Quilters group donated $300 to the yarn fund. There are ten
women knitting now, some are old friends and some are new friends.
A blessing for me, anyway you look at it. I believe our purpose is
to lovingly wrap our friends in prayers to bring them the warmth and
comfort of God's love. I delivered two of the shawls and saw first
hand how gratefully they are received. The shawls do bring comfort
and love to our friends. For God to take my tiny talent and turn it
into a blessing for others is a marvel to me. May God bless all of you
and this prayer shawl ministry, as it continues to grow.
Together in Christ,
Lois Bradford
Messiah Lutheran Church
Auburn, Washington.

From Jeanette -
Thank you for all of the information that you gave me. I printed it off and
took it to the church. We made copies at the church and put all of the
information out on a cabinet that we have in the central hall. The copies are
disappearing like wildfire. Isn't that wonderful!? I am totally amazed and thrilled.
What has really warmed my heart are all of the young people who are interested
in doing this. Ah, how we sell our teens short at times. If we would only sit back
and watch, we would know that our teens are strong in God and will do well.
Again, thank you so much for your help. We all truly do appreciate it.

In God's Love,
Jeanette
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Back in December I e-mailed you after reading the article about you in "The
Lutheran". You kindly sent me the directions on how to get started and I
thought you would like to know how much YOUR program has blossomed.
Immediately after receiving your instructions I started knitting and our first shawl
was delivered January 9th. The shawl was knitted by a Lutheran in Melvin, fringe
was added and the shawl delivered by a First Reformed in Sanborn and the recipient
was a Catholic in Sheldon. This got me thinking about just how powerful this ministry
is. I even had a knitter in California knitting for a police officer with cancer out there.
WOW!!!! Last week I mailed out letters to the pastors of 27 area churches and
now, they too, are knitting and delivering prayer shawls to persons in need of
encouragement in their cities. And to think all of this came from the article
about YOU.

Our knitters remain anonymous as this seems to work out best. The critical
person in all of this is the deliverer. That is a powerful message to deliver
and it needs a very empathetic person who has walked down a hard road themselves.
We are delivering one more this week and have eight more being worked on.

I just thought you would like to see how this has blossomed. I even took the
instructions to Via de Cristo last weekend and spread the word. I got one more
congregation in Spirit Lake, Iowa knitting. I have run into more people who
crochet rather than knit. Have any of your elves come up with a crochet pattern?

Sincerely, Judi Miller
Melvin, Iowa
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Prayer shawls bring comfort to men also.