The Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. George’s is a group of volunteers who prayerfully knit or crochet shawls that are then blessed by Father Paul and given to family members or loved ones of St. George’s parish members who are facing a grave illness or surgery or a devastating life situation such as bereavement or personal/emotional emergencies.
How do I request a Prayer Shawl for someone I know who needs one?
You may request a prayer shawl by filling out the this form and dropping it in the collection plate or returning it to the church office, or by calling the church office at 952.926.1646 or Mary Poulsen at 952.929.0176.
How much does it cost?
Prayer shawls are donated and do not cost the requester or the recipient anything. The ministry does accept donations of money or yarn to offset the cost to those who make the shawls. These donations may be sent to the church office.
Where did this idea come from?
The prayer shawl ministry is an outgrowth of a 1997 women’s spirituality program at The Hartford Seminary in Conneticut, and has since been incorporated into churches, synagogues and other organizations throughout the US. It is based on the age-old Jewish tradition of prayer shawls, and has been transformed into a lay pastoral ministry by creating prayer shawls that literally and figuratively wrap the recipient in prayer when worn.
This is a hands-on, heart-fulled grassroots spiritual ministry of the people of the Church, by the Church and for the Church, near or far - our hands are God’s hands.
The Prayer Shawl group has been meeting monthly at St. George’s to come together in prayerful reflection to create these shawls as well as working on them in their own times of prayer.
What can you do?
1. Please let Mary Poulsen know if you know of anyone to whom you would like to give a prayer shawl.
2. If you knit, crochet or want to learn, or want to volunteer in a non-knitting capacity, please let Mary Poulsen know. Shut-in or homebound knitters would be very welcome to participate in this ministry.
3. The only expense is the cost of the yarn, but donations are welcome.
