PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
Come wrap others in prayer!
“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”
-St Gregory Nazianzen
Who We Are
Stitches of the Heart Prayer Shawl Ministry, which began in 2010, involves the sewing, knitting, or crocheting of shawls or lap-size blankets that are blessed by a priest and given to people who are either sick or going through extremely difficult times in their lives, or celebrating a special milestone. The prayer shawl or lap blanket is a symbol of a community of faith covering the individual who receives it in prayer.
A Gift of Love
God has used this beautiful ministry to touch countless people bringing relief to the suffering and peace to the fearful, or adding blessings to the joyful. In covering themselves, recipients know they are not alone, that there are those who care about them and are praying for their healing or comfort, or that we share in their thanksgiving. This beautiful act of reaching out to others in need truly transforms these “stitches from the heart” into a prayer shawl or prayer blanket whose very threads have become interwoven with pleas for healing on behalf of the recipient.
This ministry has been supported by many caring and generous volunteers.
How Can I Help?
We are always in need of volunteers to knit, crochet, or sew. While some work on their own at home, we meet regularly on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM in Newman Hall at Saint Andrew. This schedule will be changing slightly in the coming weeks, and emails are sent out to all who have expressed an interest in this ministry. If you are not on the email list, please contact: Nancy in the office at 864-985-1757 or nancy@saclemson.org for the exact time and location.
If you have received or have given a prayer shawl/blanket and have a story to share, please write us. The volunteers treasure the testimony. As we have prayed for you who have received this gift, we ask that you also pray for others who receive them.
If you know anyone who should receive a prayer shawl/blanket or have fabric or yarn to donate, please contact: Diane at 864-654-9016 or diane_studer@yahoo.com.
“… I also wanted to let you know the prayer shawl was over Dad as I read from the Bible to him in his final hours. We kept it on him until they came to get his body & then I wore it until we left for my brothers. We are taking turns wearing it. Thank you so much for such a beautiful & powerful gift! …”
“… It is times of great duress that often bring you to the realization that you are but a small cog in the great goings-on of life. Today, however, I felt like a queen. I was nurtured and loved by not only my friends, my sisters in Christ, but by our whole church community…. Your WONDERFUL group of women put their time and talents together to enrich and envelop those in need. The shawls given to me today brought me to tears. My mother is so grateful and thankful for the St. Francis, St. Andrew and St. Paul’s church community, as I am. You are all doing exactly what Fr. Jack described today… you are putting being KIND above everything else…”