Wednesday afternoon the Prayer Shawl group were visiting as they knit and crocheted together. They have been meeting in Virden to create what prayer shawls for about 13 years.
A non-denominational group, the women meet every week between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. in St. Paul’s United Church.
The group has numbered up to 14 people; on April 11, there are six sets of fingers flying, creating brightly coloured, unique shawls, about 60 inches long and about 30 inches wide, made “to go around you, to cuddle in,” says one of the knitters.
The idea came from a project in 1997 from the Hartford Seminary in Connecticut.
Information on www.shawlministry.com explains, “Compassion and the love of knitting/crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry... which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace, as well as in celebration and joy.”
Completed shawls are stored in a trunk in St. Paul’s, waiting to be donated.
“If someone knows someone who is ill... we give them to whoever needs them,” said Lowes.
Each donation goes with a specific verse, says Darlene Lowes, holding a handmade card created by Lynne Fefchak and Lowes.
Every person who has received a prayer shawl is recorded - the number of shawls donated is staggering – over 1000.
The group welcomes new people to join in and make a shawl at St. Paul’s on a Wednesday afternoon.
