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Random acts of kindness are always appreciated, but even more so when a person is homebound for days, weeks, months — or even longer.

One of the many acts of kindness I received during recovery from recent complete-knee-replacement surgery was a beautiful, teal-blue prayer shawl, about 2 feet by 5 feet with a soft “fun fur” fringe at each end.

The shawl was made by one of the ladies in the Christ United Methodist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry and brought to me by Vicki Williford, our parish nurse.

Williford did some detective work for me and informed me the shawl was made by a lady in my UMW Ruth circle, Martha Walton. I didn’t know she’s a talented knitter. Walton told me her group also knits scarves, which are delivered to homeless people.

When I’m “icing” my knee several times a day, how wonderful it is to place the shawl over my leg. Or when I feel a bit chilled, to snuggle with it around my shoulders. Each time I look at my shawl, I think of the loving, giving hands that knitted it.

Gwen Worthington started the Prayer Shawl Ministry at CUMC.
In the spring and summer of 2008, she heard from several women that such a ministry was needed.

One Sunday, she heard the Rev. Jan Brittain preach a sermon using the text from Romans 12:15: ”Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.”

Those words seemed to nudge Worthington further into seeing how a prayer shawl ministry could help CUMC do exactly that.

After Worthington took on the responsibility to start the ministry and a meeting time and place was established, people gathered and began to knit or crochet. They also developed a special fellowship.
The first meeting was a Tuesday morning in August 2008, and the Wednesday evening group started shortly after that.

“I think the appeal to both young and old knitters is that they are creating something with their hands that God will then use to help comfort another person. We won’t necessarily know how or why, but He does,” Worthington said.

The first prayer shawl Worthington completed was blessed by her oldest daughter, Kate, a Methodist minister.

Before being delivered to a homebound person, each prayer shawl is blessed by a CUMC minister.

Prayer shawls provide an opportunity to minister to the body, mind and spirit of individuals who have a need because of surgery, illness or grief, Williford said.

Sometimes, during the immediate stress or crisis periods, the shawl provides comfort that words cannot.

Pediatric comfort shawls are made for the pediatric floor at Cone Hospital. Laminated teddy bear bookmarkers, designed by Katie Ward, a graduate social work student, are given with the comfort shawls.

The teddy bear bookmark states, “May you feel God’s loving arms wrap around you. Much like a teddy bear gives you comfort, may this blanket fill you with the warmth of God’s love.”

The Rev. John Bletsch, who oversees congregational care at the church, and Williford keep records of who receives a shawl so duplicates are not delivered.

“Rev. Bletsch made me feel proud of the ministry when he said that he felt that the church was doing an even better job of congregational care because of the prayer shawls,” Worthington said.

Judie Wright said, “Being a part of Prayer Shawl Ministry at CUMC strengthens my faith by giving me a mission within my church and my community.

“The fellowship of the knitting circle provides stories, music, laughter, and prayers which in turn bring reassurance and nourishment to the human spirit,” Wright said. “These blessings are incorporated into the knitting. Through knitting shawls, comfort blankets, scarves and rectangles for blankets for wounded military personnel, I am hopeful that the love in every stitch will provide warmth, comfort and peace for others.”

Williford said she is proud of the members of the ministry and that each member has used her own talent, ideas and prayers to make the ministry grow.

“We have also expanded our efforts outside of our immediate church family. Prayer shawls have gone with our mission teams to Africa, the Dominican Republic and western North Carolina. They will soon go to Bolivia with our mission team this summer.”

The prayer shawl ministry also is making baby blankets for new mothers of church members and comfort blankets for children and teenagers at Moses Cone Hospital. The team is knitting rectangles that are sewn together as blankets for our wounded military personnel in the Wounded Warrior program.

There are two groups of knitters at CUMC, totaling about 30 knitters. The Tuesday morning group meets at 10:30 in the church parlor and the Wednesday group meets at 6:30 p.m. in the gathering space after the Welcome Wednesday dinner.

A candle is lit, representing God’s presence with them when the knitters gather. When a shawl is completed, all the members of the group hold on to it and pray over the shawl and the person who will receive it.

For me personally, I once again thank Walton and each member of this group who so loving represent God’s love in a special way.
For information on this ministry, call 299-1517 and ask to speak to someone about the prayer shawl ministry.

To suggest a person or organization that is “Making a Difference or has in the past in Guilford County, contact Peggy Longmire at rlongmire@triad.rr.com or 288-9040.