Prayer Shawl Ministry

On March 2, 2005, Sisters 'n Stitches met for the first time and blessed 7 shawls. On March 6, 2013 we will begin our 9th year and have had the honor of blessing more than 730 shawls for friends, family, and the occasional stranger - now bound to us with yarn and prayer. Shawls have been presented to those in need of special prayers of comfort and healing as well as in times of celebration and recognition.

We continue to meet the first Wednesday of each month with no elected chairman or slate of officers - only a recorder of recipients. We truly are a rather "loose knit" group with a far reaching ministry which includes scarves for our graduating seniors, families of crime victims, Arkansas Annual Conference, deployed personnel of our church family and the Warm Up To Winter Tree each Christmas. Last Christmas, with your help, we donated over 150 items of warmth for children to Methodist Family Health and Our House.

We do not do this alone. Support comes from many who do not meet with us, but donate time and skills to these projects. Support comes from our church staff who take requests, participate in the blessings and often deliver the shawls to the hospital or home. Support comes from our church members who donate at Christmas or recognizes a need in our community of an individual or family who needs something visible to remind them of the love of God.

It is our privilege to continue this ministry. If you feel called to join us, please do. We can provide supplies, instructions and the fellowship of a small group with abundant joy.

-- Marilyn Vaughan (email)

****************

Sisters 'n Stitches provides prayer-filled, individually blessed shawls for comfort in times of illness and recovery, after a loss, to a caregiver or in ministry to others as well as in appreciation, recognition, and celebration. Prayer shawls are as appropriate as prayer for anyone at any age. Each shawl is blessed for the individual recipient. We would welcome the opportunity to give you our prayers. Please call the Church Office, 753-6186, to leave a message for Marilyn or email us. Sisters 'n Stitches also sponsors the Warm Up to Winter tree each Christmas, which is decorated with hats, scarves, gloves, mittens and socks for the children of Methodist Family Health and other area non-profits. We welcome those who want to participate and contribute to this meaningful ministry.

Have you ever seen or heard of a ministry that you think needs to be done? Does God ever present things to you, again and again, until you accept the challenge? Such was the beginning of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at Lakewood United Methodist. Although the Prayer Shawl Ministry began in the northeast in 1998, the concept gained momentum when the book Knitting Into the Mystery was available on the United Methodist Women's reading list after 2003. For more information, visit the Prayer Shawl Ministry Home Page.