The Humble Journey of a Prayer Shawl
And so begins another prayer shawl. This prayer shawl may go to a cancer patient, a stroke patient, or a person struggling with depression or pain that cannot be controlled. It may go to a daughter whose father is dying and she is unable to be with him. It may go to a child whose parents are going through a divorce. It may be a member of Breckenridge UMC or it may not be. It may also go to a newly baptized baby, graduating senior, or Valley Lake Boys Home resident. Who it will go to is often unknown when a prayer shawl is started, but those who make the shawls know that their prayer for healing and hope will go with it.
How Are They Made?
The shawl envelops the recipient in warmth and prayers from the community of Breckenridge United Methodist Church. As the craftsperson creates the shawl, the prayer of healing is prayed so that the prayer is literally woven into the yarn. When the shawl is delivered, a card with a prayer is delivered.
If you would like to make a shawl but don’t know how to knit or crochet, give the church office a call (218-643-5158). Someone will try to connect you with a person who can teach you.
If you are unable to knit or crochet and you would like to participate in this ministry, you can do so in two ways:
1) by donating yarn
2) giving financial donations for materials
These are very helpful as the Prayer Shawl Ministry also distributes baby hats to St. Francis Hospital and scarves to Someplace Safe.
Who Can Request a Prayer Shawl?
Anyone! If you are aware of someone you feel could benefit from the warmth and prayers that come with a shawl, please call the pastor or church office (643-5158). A record is kept of who receives a prayer shawl. If you wish to make a personal delivery, they will make arrangements for you to pick one up. If you wish to make a request only, they will see that the shawl is delivered.
Our Prayer Shawl Blessing
May God’s grace be upon this shawl…
Warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.
May this mantle be a safe haven…
A sacred place of security and well being…
Sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones.
May the one who receives this shawl be cradled with hope,
kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.
Blessed Be!
Join Us in Praying with Our Hands
Knitting Instructions
Materials
-
2—(6 oz.) skeins any soft worsted wt.
-
Size 11 or 13 knitting needles
Pattern: Cast on 57 stitches
-
Row 1: Knit 3, purl 3 to the end of row
-
Following rows: Turn, and knit the purl and purl the knit stitches.
-
A weave pattern will develop.
-
You will begin every row with a knit.
-
Finished size is about 30” x 6 feet.
Crochet Instructions
Materials
-
4 skeins Lion Brand Homespun yarn or any soft worsted weight yarn.
-
Size N crochet hook
Pattern: Chain 71 stitches loosely.
-
Row 1: (right side); (dc, ch 2, sc) in fourth ch from hook, *skip next 2 chs, (2 dc, ch 2 sc) in the next ch. Repeat from * across.
-
Row 2: Ch 2 turn. (2 dc, ch 2, sc) in first ch 2 sp and in each ch 2 space across.
-
Repeat row 2 until piece is about 6 feet long. Do not finish off.
-
Last row: Ch 2, turn *sc in first ch 2 sp, ch 2.
-
Repeat from * across and end with a sc. Finish off.
