Prayer Shawl Ministry
St. James is blessed to have the Prayer Shawl Ministry that was started in 2005 by a parish member who had been inspired by a friend's needs, and also by writings about the original Prayer Shawl Ministry in Hartford, Connecticut:
"Shawls...made for centuries universal and embracing, symbolic of an inclusive, unconditionally loving God.
Wrap, enfold, comfort, cover, give solace, mother, hug, shelter and beautify.
Those who have received these shawls have been uplifted and affirmed, as if given wings to fly above their troubles.."
1998 Janet Bristow, Prayer Shawl Ministry
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The Prayer Shawl is a spiritual communion with God for
both the creator of the Shawl and for the recipient. The process of making
the Shawl includes a mingling of meditation, spirituality, and prayerful
intentions all woven together by the Shawl Maker's hands. Each single stitch
is part of a set of three that represent the Holy Trinity. The completed
Shawl is made up of the intertwining of these many sets of three. At the
beginning and during the making of each shawl many prayers and blessings are
offered. When it is completed the recipient receives the specially blessed
Shawl and a prayer card from the giver or from our Priest, Cindy Baskin. It
becomes an honoring and awareness of the presence of God for both, a
grace-filled moment.
The occasions for presenting these beautiful Shawls, expressions of care, concern and celebration, can be as varied as bereavement, stress or illness to joyful events like weddings and baptisms. Beverly Bartolomeo (chair of the Prayer Shawl Ministry) says that they are "her hands (making the Shawls) but God's using them." Linda Pallett, the founder of the St. James Prayer Ministry reminds us that when you wear the shawl, it is as though the arms of God are holding you. |
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Since the program began, we have given away over 100 shawls and blankets each year, including five shawls that were sent to New Orleans as part of a nationwide effort to provide a shawl for each member of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church at its meeting in September, 2007. Once all the bishops received their shawls, the extras were given to people on the Gulf Coast still recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In addition to prayer shawls, members of the ministry began the practice of knitting or crocheting blankets which are presented to infants and young children when they are baptized. Prayer Shawl Explanation and Blessing - August 3, 2008 (mp3) (wma) |
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For more information about this ministry contact the parish office at 301-762-8040
See an article about this ministry: The Window at EDOW, February - 2006.