At the start of the 25th Anniversary of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, co-founder Janet Bristow wrote:
Prayer shawls are tangible expressions of the shawl maker’s prayers. The intention of making a prayer shawl starts with the shawl maker. That intention goes from the act of selecting the yarn at the store or from one’s personal yarn stash, to blessing that yarn and needles or hook, to casting on or chaining the initial row, throughout the knitting or crocheting, to the binding off and finishing touches, and the final blessing. It’s called a prayer shawl because it came from the prayers of the shawl maker holding the person receiving the shawl in her or his prayers. The shawl is to be used as prayer and for prayer by the recipient. Many have said that they can feel the energy of those prayers in the shawl as they wear it. It can be a sheltering place, a comfort amid illness or sorrow, or even a celebratory space for a special time in someone’s life.
From simple gestures to bigger outreaches, through the years, shawl makers from across the country and around the world have rallied to the call for shawls in extraordinary circumstances. Their wish is to bring some comfort to others involved with tragedies; be it the mass shootings in Sandy Hook or the families who have lost loved ones in wars in far-off lands. And, more than 3,000 prayer squares were delivered to patients and nurses at Hartford Hospital during the pandemic.
This ministry has been passed on from hand to hand, and heart to heart, guided by the Spirit for 25 years, blessing everyone it touches. May it continue to be an inspiration to those who want to bring comfort and solace to the world. (Published December 31, 2023 SPSA Bulletin)
The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets twice a month:
Evening meetings are on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom:
Winter/spring dates are January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, May 12, and June 9
Daytime meetings are on the last Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m. in the Franciscan Center:
Winter/spring dates are January 30, February 27, March 27, April 24, May 29, and June 26
Please consider joining us at any time this year to learn the art of making Prayer Shawls and to help us continue to reach out to others in our community through this ministry of love.
For more information, contact Janet Bristow at [email protected]