Sycamore United Methodist Church
160 Johnson Ave, Sycamore Illinois
Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 10:00
Saturday Evening Celebration Worship 5:00
|
160 Johnson Ave, Sycamore Illinois Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 10:00 Saturday Evening Celebration Worship 5:00
|
|
|
What is a “Prayer Shawl Ministry?” Whether they are called “Prayer Shawls”, “Comfort Shawls”, “Peace Shawls”, or “Mantles”, shawls have been made for centuries; they are universal and embracing, they comfort and enfold, wrap and warm, shelter and hug. Those who knit and crochet shawls, and those who receive shawls, are loved and blessed. This ministry originated in 1998 by Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo in Hartford, Connecticut and has become a spiritual practice in many areas of the country. The prayer shawl ministry combines the love of needlework and the love to reach out to those in need of comfort and solace. Blessings are knitted into every shawl as the shawl is started with prayers for the recipient and continued throughout the creation of the shawl. Each shawl is given a final blessing before it is given to someone for whom it will become a meaningful blessing of love. A shawl may be given to a person undergoing medical procedures, during an illness and recovery, as a comfort after a loss, during bereavement, prayer or meditation, commitment or marriage ceremonies, birthing, nursing a baby, as a bridal shower gift, ministering to others or just socializing. The possibilities are endless! How are the shawls made? Most of the shawls are hand knitted or crocheted but could also be woven, sewn, quilted, or machine knitted. Finished size: approximately 24-26 inches wide and 60-72 inches long before the optional fringe is attached. Pattern: A shawl can be made using one of the following patterns or a pattern chosen by the shawl maker. Yarn, needles, crochet hook: Lion Brand Homespun (3 skeins/18 oz.) and worsted weight yarn (700-800 yds) are typical of the yarns that are used. The size of the knitting needles or crochet hook should be suitable for the yarn. Are all the shawls the same? There is no right or wrong way to create these gifts of love. They do not have to look alike or be the same color. The patterns are simple and each shawl is one of a kind. Shawls may be made with one of two thoughts in mind: · As a gift for someone in need that will be given at a future time. · As a special shawl for a particular person you know who needs this blessing in their life. U Y U Y U Y U Y U Y U Y U “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love” Colossians 2:2 KJV U Y U Y U Y U Y U Y U Y U Fringe Before starting the 3rd skein of yarn, set aside the yarn needed for making fringe. (Different yarns or ribbons can be used for the fringe.) Continue knitting or crocheting until the shawl is the recommended length. Attach fringe to narrow ends. Fringe: cut at least 108 pieces of yarn about 8-10 inches long. Hold two together and fold in half. This creates four ends. Pull through narrow end stitches and knot. Knitted Prayer Shawl Use size 11 or 13 needles Using Lion Brand Homespun or similar weight yarn, cast on 57 stitches (size 13 needles) or 63 stitches (Size 11 needles). Pattern: Knit 3, purl 3, to the end of the row. Turn and repeat the pattern. Each row will begin with “Knit 3.” Crocheted Prayer Shawl Use a 10 mm (N) hook. Using Lion Brand Homespun or similar weight yarn, Ch 41. Turn. Sc for 3 rows. Turn. In the second sc from hook, *do 3 dc, sk 1st, sc in next st., sk 1 stitch; in next stitch, repeat from* for width of shawl. Ch 2. Turn. (10 DC shells across) Note that the 3 dc shells are done in the center of the dc group in the row below. Repeat this row until shawl is the desired length. End with 3 rows of sc. History of our Prayer Shawl Ministry The prayer shawl ministry at the Sycamore United Methodist Church, under the leadership of Jeanne Johnson and Phyllis Anderson, began on May 1, 2006, when a group of 15 knitters and crocheters started making shawls. An evening group started on June 6, 2006 to accommodate those who could not attend the morning ministry team meetings. Fifty shawls were completed in the first four months and given blessings by the group before they were presented to the recipients. Members make shawls for a specific person, for the church ministers to distribute, for local organizations such as Hospice or the Pay-It-Forward House NFP, a local hospitality house for families of patients at Kindred Hospital. Comments from recipients: “Thank you for the warm, loving prayer shawl. I will say a thank you prayer for you whenever I use it.” “We were overwhelmed with your kindness and loving thoughts” “The lovely handmade shawl, your thoughts and prayers were sent during a very low time in my life.” “The prayer shawl is warm and comforting, putting me in a prayerful state.” For more information on the Prayer Shawl Ministry or for other patterns to knit or crochet, visit the Shawl Ministry website: www.shawlministry.com You can be part of the Sycamore United Methodist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry The ministry teams meet in the chapel – the morning group meets at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Mondays. Please join us at either time or bring a completed shawl to the church office. We discuss the ministry, work on the shawls, and offer blessings for those who will receive the completed shawls. Some people crochet, others knit. If you don’t know how to do either, a simple, easily taught pattern is used. Some members work on their shawls at home, others wait until the group gathers together. There are several ways to be involved in this ministry: · You can knit or crochet a shawl. · You can share the name of a friend or loved one who is in need of God’s blessings. · You can support the ministry financially. |
Send mail to
webmaster@sycamoreumc.org with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
