By Angela Orlando
If you’ve seen the basket in the narthex labeled “ for yarn”. Funny, a yarn? A Story? What is that all about?
A few years ago, it was suggested that our parish offer “Prayer Blankets” to those experiencing disease of body, mind or spirit. How easy it is to say, “I’ll pray for you” but sometimes you just need a reminder of that. And the Prayer Blanket Ministry was born.
Skeins of yarn are collected in the basket in the narthex. It might be a whole skein but it also might be just several smaller lengths of yarns unused on a completed project at home. What do you do with just a little left over yarn? Bring it to church, of course. All the colors of the rainbow go into knitting by a couple of prolific knitters and the blankets are born. The members who knit prepare the blankets in their homes and while they are knitting, they’ll say a prayer for the recipients of the blankets. As requests come into the Human Needs office, the blankets are distributed to those who need them.
Blankets are an array of colors considering that the donated yarn may be of many different colors. They are knitted or crocheted in a pattern decided upon by the knitters and end up being about three feet by four feet. They are enough to cover a lap or the shoulders of the recipients. Considering that the donations of yarn are so varied, the prayer blankets become works of art. They may be distributed to someone recuperating from surgery, a major illness, a loss or an emotional situation. How they help healing is a gift from God.
- If you’d like to help, drop off your unused yarn inthe basket.
- If you are a needleworker needing a project
- If you “want” or “need” a blanket to wrap yourself or a family member
Contact the Human Needs Office. A prayer card in tucked is the blanket when it is distributed.