First United Methodist Church provides comfort with Prayer Shawl Ministry

First United Methodist Church in Kennett has a unique Prayer Shawl Ministry that everyone is welcome to attend, whether a beginner or a professional. Many blessings and prayers are knitted or crocheted into every piece and the group has created 57 original shawls since July 2005.

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The group meets each Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in the youth center of the church.

Everyone is welcome to attend, whether a beginner or a professional.

The Shawl Ministry was actually formed in 1998 by Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo, two graduates of the Women's Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Conn.

These women gave birth to this particular ministry as a result of their experience in a program of applied Feminist Spirituality under the direction of Professor Miriam Therese Winter, MMS.

Care and the love of knitting was combined creating a prayerful ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace.

Many Blessings are knitted into every shawl. The knitter begins each shawl with prayers for the recipient. Intentions are continued throughout the creation of the shawl.

When a shawl is finally completed it is offered a final ritual before being sent along its way.

As this gift has been sent along, some recipients have continued the kindness by making one themselves and passing it on to someone else in need of comfort.

Thus, the blessing is rippled from person to person, with both giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of a sheltering, mothering God!

The people involved in the Prayer Shawl Ministry at 1st UMC also added that besides knit and crochet, the shawls can be woven sewn, quilted and machine knitted.

The majority of the 1st UMC group, however, either knits or crochets their creations.

Some uses for the shawl includes those undergoing medical procedures, as a comfort after a loss, during bereavement, prayer or meditation, commitment or marriage ceremonies, birthing or nursing a baby, as a bridal shower gift, leading ritual, first menses or croning rites of passage, during an illness and recovery, ministering to others or just socializing. There are endless possibilities.

Since beginning the ministry in July 2005 the group at 1st UMC has competed 57 prayer shawls and has included a card with each one that carries a special message about the shawl.

"I had taken knitting lessons before, but this ministry gave it a purpose," said Judy McCuiston of 1st UMC.

For more information visit the 1st UMC Internet website at www.1stumckennett.org or www.shawlministry.com