Shawls, blankets, hats, mittens, and scarves are made of stitches. Whether they’re crocheted or knitted from yarn or two pieces of fleece neatly tied together, with time and intention, from something else, they are created.
At Living Christ, Arlington Heights, for two hours every Thursday afternoon, a group of ladies gathers together. With time, intention, and joy they knit, crochet, tie, and quilt. They make all sorts of things for people in their own congregation, for organizations in their town, and for national not-for-profits which distribute internationally. As they carefully bind fabrics together, they are able to add something more with each stitch: they pray. With every three stitches, they think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They pray specifically for the recipient of each item. And perhaps most simply but no less significantly, they share in life with one another.
The ladies said again and again that their church is a family. To them, their Thursday “Prayer Shawl Ministry” afternoons are important family gatherings. As they commune in fellowship with one another as a church family–and, now, close friends–they share in the highs and lows and in-betweens of life. Reflecting Paul’s notation in Galatians 6:2, one woman stated, “all of our problems seem lighter when [we] share them with one another.” All emphatically agreed. Just as they provide comfort to one another, the ladies of Living Christ, Arlington Heights pray the recipients of the items they’ve delighted in creating and faithfully prayed over would feel the comfort, grace, and love of Jesus.
How They Got Started
In the winter of 2007, dear friends Ilene Schmitt and Jean Schade were discussing how they could use their shared love of knitting to serve others. That winter took a turn when Schmitt was struck in a car accident which temporarily put her in a wheelchair. Another friend of Schade’s was in a very similar situation. In the midst of healing, the ladies leaned further into relationship with another congregation in their area which had a Prayer Shawl ministry. While Schmitt was still in her wheelchair, she and Schade began making things to contribute toward the other congregation’s ministry. As Schmitt healed, her friendships with the ladies in the Prayer Shawl group began to grow: her first time out of the house without her wheelchair was to join her new friends to knit for others.
In time, Schmitt and Schade began a Prayer Shawl ministry at Living Christ. The group started small with just Schmitt and Schade and some of their friends from the other congregation’s Prayer Shawl ministry. They met regularly and knitted, crocheted, and learned from each other while creating things to give away to others. Three years later, in 2010, Wilma Kraus and Judy D’Allaird had joined and are still active members today.
What It Looks Like
One stitch at a time, as a team and community, Living Christ’s Prayer Shawl ministry uses the gifts each member has uniquely been given to create goods to bring comfort, joy, and the love of Jesus to others. Living Christ’s Prayer Shawl ministry team has regular projects for which they create needed items. As they hear of not-for-profits in need, they see what they can do to help. They have created Prayer Shawls for mothers in need, hats to be included in Phil’s Friends packages for patients who have cancer, and cold weather accessories for Wheeling Township to provide to residents in the community. Whether they’re making red, newborn size hats for babies born during American Heart Month (February), quilts for Lutheran World Relief, or blankets to be given out at their congregation’s summer suppers, every week, the ladies meet together to do one of their favorite things: in the words of a long-time member of the Prayer Shawl ministry, “we get to do something we love, then we get to give it away.”
How They Are In This Together
Matthew 18:20 reads, “for where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Every Thursday for two hours at Living Christ, Arlington Heights, the Prayer Shawl ministry team gathers. They bond with friends they’ve had for decades and first time participants. They create warm things which will be used to care for others, and they pray. They thank the Lord. They pray for his people. The Prayer Shawl ministry at Living Christ, Arlington Heights is flourishing, and they are flourishing together.