St. Paul's UCC Prayer Shawl Ministry
Our St. Paul Prayer Shawl Ministry meets ten times throughout the year from January to July and September to November. We meet on the third Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 for breakfast, sharing of the shawls we are making or have made. We meet either at the home of a hostess or the Fellowship Hall. Each gathering begins with a prayer of thanks for our togetherness and thanking God for allowing us to give comfort to others through the shawls we have presented and those we will continue to present. We are about 12 in number, but others who cannot meet with us contribute to our "wall of shawls" as well.
St. Paul’s Prayer Shawl Ministry History
St. Paul's UCC Prayer Shawl Ministry began in December of 2005. At a Women's Retreat of the Wisconsin Conference, many members at that gathering were busy knitting and crocheting. When asked for an explanation of the what the shawls were for, this was the response:
In 1998 two graduates of the Women’s Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary gave birth to this ministry. The purpose was that the care and love of knitting and crocheting would be combined into a prayerful ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. The giving of shawls has expanded to those making a commitment or marriage ceremonies, birthing, ministering to others or just socializing.
When a shawl is begun a blessing prayer by the maker can be said, dedicating the work of her hands. Prayers have been given out for this dedication. Throughout the process of knitting or crocheting the shawl, prayers can be said. When a shawl is completed, a label is sewn onto the shawl with the SPUCC's name and our location. We also attach an info sheet containing the maker, the pattern, type and color of yarn, then a picture is taken of the shawl which is stapled to this sheet.
When a request for a shawl is made, consideration is given to the occasion and or reason for giving. There is a color chart that defines some of the attributes associated with these colors. Just as pink is associated with breast cancer, many other illnesses have awareness of colors. Aqua is associated with courage, pink or blue for a new baby and the list goes on. Our info sheet is removed and filed and we attach a new sheet that explains the attributes of the colors in the shawl based on the needs of the recipient. A prayer is also attached for the receiver. The PSM group then gathers in a circle holding onto the shawl and blessing the shawl and the person who will receive it. As of November 1, 2019 we have been blessed to be able to give away 489 shawls. We have also given shawls to our Youth Group when they go on mission trips. We gave many to General Synod when it was held in Wisconsin and we also have given to our local care center.
We have been blessed with donations of yarn for our projects, recipients have also made cash donations as a thank you and many of our members-being yarn lovers-see a yarn that they "just have" to try and purchase it for their shawl project.
Anyone can request a shawl for someone and anyone can make a shawl whether they join us formally or not.