How to begin a Prayer
Shawl Ministry
www.shawlministry.com
by Janet Bristow & Victoria Cole-Galo
If you belong to a faith community, find out if the ministry could be introduced
there. If you will be bringing this to the community in which you live, find a
space that could accommodate your needs, such as library, community center,
senior center, continuing adult education. It’s helpful to have a core group of
a few interested people to discuss how you envision the ministry. It is
important to have a person willing to coordinate and administer the details of
this ministry.
Place an ad in your church bulletin, newsletter, local newspaper, community
center, library, senior center, continuing adult education office brochures or
publications. Make a flyer and/or sign-up sheet to post on bulletin boards at
the above locations. It’s helpful to have a shawl on display at your faith
community. We suggest using the down-loadable brochure
as a handout to those interested in joining your group. In it, you can list your
pertinent information such as: location, dates, times and contact information.
Decide if you will meet weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly in the mornings,
evenings or both. At your first meeting, discuss who the recipients will be.
Will you be offering the shawls to the members of your faith community, local
hospital, hospice, shelter, charity? Get suggestions from clergy, pastoral care
team, social worker, parish nurse, members of your community. Sometimes you will
know who the shawl is for; sometimes you won’t. It’s good to have a number of
shawls on hand, available to staff and those who might be visiting someone in
the hospital, nursing home, or at home. If you’ll be supplying shawls to a
shelter, hospital, or oncology center on a regular basis, inquire about the
number of shawls that would be required. Decide if you will be able to meet
those needs.
Discuss fund raising issues. Where will the money come from? You can ask for
donations from your faith community and/or accept donations from those who
offer. How will the yarn be purchased? Who will supply it, buy it, and keep it
stocked? How will the shawls be packaged and who will do that? Where will the
finished ones be kept? Who will deliver them to the outside group, shelter,
etc.?
As this is a prayerful process, remember to begin each gathering, planning
meeting, or ministry circle with some type of ritual, prayer or blessing.
Encourage participants to write their own prayer; or write a group prayer that
will be included with each shawl given.
As you gather together and share thoughts and insights, it will become clearer
what direction your particular group will take. Don’t worry about who the shawls
will go to! They’ll come to you with ease. Best of all, notice the blessings
that flow between the knitter and recipient, around your faith community, your
circle, and your lives.