A prayer shawl is an embrace…it is a hug. It is tangible. You knit your thoughts and prayers into the shawl & keep the one who receives it in your prayers.As part of the vision of Loving people, the earth & God St. Marks would like to invite you to share this vision - by knitting or donating wool so that others can knit (or crochet) a prayer shawl. This is a relatively new ministry within the UK although there are a couple of United Reformed Churches offering this ministy already. It involves staying where you are but sharing the simple knitting pattern below (crochet pattern to follow soon) with those who are knotty knitters - church people or not. Once the prayer shawl is knitted it is sent to the Care Team (see postal address below) at St. Mark's United Reformed Church where the whole Sunday congregation or Saturday congregation say a blessing prayer over the prayer shawl in worship and members take it as a gift and blessing to someone eg a mum who has recently given birth, someone who has been bereaved, a person who is lonely, someone who has moved into residential care housing, who is staying in hospital or at home alone. The prayer shawls are knitted with love and care and are given to comfort, bless, show support and prayer from the church through peoples hobby of knitting which can be very meditative, even prayerful for some people. People can share the pattern in church magazines & on websites. Please always include the website below which is where the ministry originally initiated from in North America. In some churches people meet in knitting circles to knit, chat and pray together about those who will receive the shawls in celebration, grief, loneliness, in need of healing etc.
The prayer shawls can be all one colour, in bold, pale or mixed wools. Knit a shawl that you would like to receive in certain circumstances & for people with different life events and personalities.
We hope these hints help rather than hinder your knitting enthusiasm and skills!
Pattern for a prayer shawl:
Needle size: 8mm or 0 English
Wool recommended: DK - 200 grams
Length: 54 inches (140 cms) plus fringe
Width: 18 inches (46 cms)
Pattern - easy triple Moss Stitch
Cast on 63 stitches
Row1-K3, P3 (knit 3, pearle 3)
Continue in moss stitch until required length.
Cast off & make a fringe at either end of shawl
You created every part of me, knitting me in my Mother’s womb. For such handiwork, I praise you. Awesome this great wonder! Bible: Psalm 139:13-14
Please post/give the completed shawl with your contact details to: Care Team, St. Marks United Reformed Church, Oatlands Rd, Manchester M22 6AH. Thankyou!
St. Mark’s United Reformed Church pray a blessing prayer over the prayer shawl and our Care Team give it away locally. www.shawlministry.com
We hope to be able to bless and give away all the prayer shawls with a special gift tag attached that someone is preparing for us with their craft skills. No prayer shawls can be bought but we appreciate donations of wool (200gram kind) to the above address, any knitting prayers, songs or stories about how you are approaching this ministry and sharing in the vision of St. Marks, recycling wool, caring for people and creation where we are.
