Sunday, September 18, 2011

Grace's Shawl Ministry - The Blessing of the Shawls

The cedar chest in the Memorial Room was full. Time to bless the finished shawls and begin giving them away. We talked about what the blessing should look like and how the shawls should be distributed. Today, during the 10:00 a.m. service, we blessed them and gave three to the Lay Eucharistic Ministers who took communion to some of our home bound parishioners.

Shane and Sally arrived even earlier than our scheduled gathering time, so all the shawls were out on the altar by the time the rest of us arrived.


We fussed with them until they looked "right" on the altar, making sure to leave space for Sally to set the elements out for the Eucharist.












May God's grace be upon these shawls, warming, comforting, enfolding, embracing.

May these mantles be a safe haven...
A sacred place of security and well being...
Sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones.

May those who receive these shawls
Be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace,
And wrapped in love.
In the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Moving forward we will be expanding our outreach. Along with the prayer shawls, some of us will be knitting and crocheting hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves for the homeless and others in need. And some of us will be knitting caps for the babies who are baptized in our church.

If you knit or crochet, would like to learn to knit or crochet, or just want to spend some time in conversation and fellowship, please join us at 10:30 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Another way to participate in the ministry is to donate yarn to be made into shawls, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, and caps.

No comments: