St. Therese Prayer Shawl Ministry

We meet at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Craft Room at the very back of the Parish Hall. Any Christian woman is welcome to join us for friendship, prayer and support as we knit or crochet.

On October 2, 2013 there were six of us present.



Left to right:
Rose, Jan, June, Barbara and Mary. Gail's behind camera.

Rose, Jan, June, Barbara and Mary.

Please check our earlier posts for photos of prayer shawls and lap robes. Very early posts also offer an explanation of non-denominational Prayer Shawl Ministries that are now in many churches throughout the world. And, how you too can start one.

Peace and Blessings.

Blessing Prayer Shawls for the Sick or Grieving

On August 28, 2013, Father Jim Graham blessed these prayer shawls. They are assembled on a table in Holy Redeemer's Children's Nursery outside the Craft Room.



Knitters and crocheters with our priest. From left to right,
Kathy, Mary, Barbara, Alyce, Jan, Fr. Jim, & June.
Gail is behind camera.

Kathy, Mary, Gail, Barbara, Jan, Fr. Jim, & June.
Alyce is behind camera.

Although there are 13 shawls and lap robes being blessed at this time, many more—blessed weeks earlier by Father Karl Schray—are waiting in the cabinet. Jan's lovely hand made gift cards are chosen to be color-coordinated for each shawl and many lay on top of the shawls pictured here. Like the shawls, more of her beautiful cards wait in the cabinet to be given away with a shawl or lap robe.

 


 

The photo above partially shows our prayer shawl cabinet in its new location. A lovely piece of furniture and very functional, it is behind Jan and Alyce with the lid open. It was built for and donated to our Prayer Shawl Ministry by Bud Bradley. While it resided in the Rectory, no lock was needed. Now, with children using this room, we've added a combination lock to protect the shawls from curious little hands. Unfortunately, the cabinet itself has suffered some marks from those same little hands.

We are happy to welcome Rose, our newest participant.
Rose is at left, then June and Barbara.

We who knit and crochet are as blessed by these shawls as the recipients are. Our time together provides an opportunity to enjoy each other's company and offer one another love and support as we pray and share our faith.

Peace and Blessings to all!

Prayer Shawl Knitters and Crocheters Creating

Our Prayer Shawl Ministry on August 14, 2013.

We meet in Holy Redeemer's Craft Room where others also meet on different days to create many things provided to charities, or sold to raise income for good causes.


From left around table: Alyce in front, June, Barbara, Mary,
(Gail's seat, but behind camera), Gail's granddaughter Shelby,
Gail's granddaughter Paige and Jan in foreground.

 

We enjoy one another's company each week. It's a chance to spend some time with other women, while doing something very positive.

 

Peace & Blessings.

 



Happy Knitters and Crocheters

These weren't  all taken the same day. Alyce has come back to Oregon for the summer, returning from a winter in Arizona. Jan's health has improved enough that she has been with us for the last two sessions, but I didn't capture her in a photo. Maybe next week. 

Alyce, Barbara, Kathy and Mary. Gail is behind camera.
Notice all the fabric on shelves behind us. The church women's craft group
is separate from us and they make and donate many, many items.

 

June, Kathy, Mary (in front) and Barbara.

Barbara and Mary.

June, Kathy, Barbara and Mary.

 

Different lighting on this day. From left to right,
 Barbara, Kathy, Mary and Alyce.

Small groups like this one are healthy and supportive. From left,
Kathy, Alyce, Bernie, June, Mary (in front) and Barbara.

Photo taken from other side of room as the one above. From left
Bernie (standing), Alyce, June, Barbara, Kathy (in front) and Mary.

Alyce (our snowbird), Bernie and June.

Blessings to All!

May you stay out of the frog pond.

Rip it, rip it, rip it...

Craft Room, Our New Location

In the past we've been spoiled. We met once a week to knit or crochet in the Priest's living room, part of the Rectory. It looks out across the entrance to Coos Bay with a beautiful view of the North Bend (McCullough) Bridge.



Looking north toward the McCullough Bridge.

Our dear Father Karl Schray is retiring and we will have a new Priest in the near future. Therefore, we've opted to move into the Craft Room and allow Fr. Karl space to pack up and get ready. And, to also allow our new Priest, when he arrives, to have his living quarters free and clear. Not sure whether our Prayer Shawl Ministry will stay in the Craft Room, or consider another location in the future.



June, Kathy, Mary and Barbara in Holy Redeemer's
Craft Room where others make items to sell at the church
bazaar's. Prayer Shawls, however, are never sold.
They are presented to the ill or grieving.



June, Kathy, Barbara and Mary with our knitted or
crocheted projects.  Gail is the photographer.

There were only five of us present on Wednesday 10:00 to noon. Our loyal member, Jan, has shingles and is unable to participate until she recovers.







This wave is much larger than it appears.



For perspective, there is a tiny person standing on the point
of the second rock. Foolish of him, but the waves always
crashed in the same place and he climbed back off, damp
from spray, but unharmed. Not so, the angry rescue team
that was called to go get him. He didn't believe he needed
rescuing, but many observers at Shore Acres that day did.
 

Alyce and her husband live in Arizona during the winter and will return soon. Personally, I love the winter storms on Oregon's rugged coast.

New Location for Prayer Shawl Ministry at Holy Redeemer

Our group has relocated to the Craft Room at the back of the Parish Hall. Previously we enjoyed the luxury of the Rectory's living room with its view of the North Bend Bridge over Coos Bay.

 

However, we are expecting a new priest in the near future and don't want to impinge on his space without his approval. We don't know yet who he will be, but are excited to find out soon.

Spring, 2013 at Holy Redeemer Parish in North Bend, Oregon

The ladies ducked when I got out my camera and asked that I wait until next week to take photos. We do like to primp for pictures, don't we?

 

After next Wednesday, I will post some photos of us in the Craft Room.

Peace and Blessings

Shawls and Laprobes About to be Blessed

Some creations by the Prayer Shawl Ministry at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. They're intended to comfort and bless those who receive them.

Many shawls, lap robes and baby blankets about to be blessed and join those
that are already blessed. They're stored in a special cabinet until distributed.

 



Close up of some of them. Most have a spiritual symbol or metal attached.



Many varieties and styles. Every knitter or crocheter creates
an original piece, unlikely to be duplicated.

 

Peace and Blessings!

 

 

Five attended the Prayer Shawl Knitting/Crocheting meeting in the Rectory at Holy Redeemer today, Wednesday, 3-13-13.

Jan, Mary, June and Kathy. Gail is behind camera.
Mary has finished the pink and white knitted Boucle' shawl
she and Jan are holding.

  

Kathy in her newly completed soft triangle shawl.
Beautiful crochet pattern.

Back of the same shawl.

 

 

Mary with the lovely gray triangle knitted shawl she just completed. Very soft.
 

Jan is beginning a laprobe in
complimentary light and dark brown yarns.

 

Peace and Blessings to those who create knitted and crocheted gifts

and Comfort to those who are Blessed by them.

 

 

Many Shawls, Baby Blankets and Lap Robes

Haven't posted in a while although we have met regularly on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon in the Rectory at Holy Redeemer in North Bend, Oregon. We will meet on Ash Wednesday, February 13, 2013, but will end a little early since Mass is at noon and most of us want to attend.



Our prayer shawls are usually in gift bags with one of
Jan Parten's beautiful cards.

Recently completed baby blanket is being blocked. It is
knitted from one corner to the next. Edging is crocheted
and caused some puckering, hence the reason to block it.



Another baby blanket. This one is crocheted.
 A lovely way to use extra pastel yarns is with stripes.

A very large, all white knitted baby blanket
with crocheted edges.





Closeup of white shawl's crocheted edges.

Below is a scan of the card opened up. Front and back are on top, inside with prayer is below. Jan's original covers vary, but the prayer is always the same.

We hope you will be inspired to do this in your church too. These shawls, lap robes and baby blankets are blessed before being given away, and they are never sold. They're created with love and prayers. The intention is to bring comfort to all who receive them.

 

Peace and Blessings!