PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY

How It Began

In 1998, Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo, two graduates of the 1997 Women’s Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut gave birth to a ministry as a result of their experience in a program of applied Feminist Spirituality under the direction of Professor Miriam Theresa Winter MMS. Care and the love of knitting (and crochet) have been combined in to a prayerful ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. Many blessings are knitted into every shawl. When the shawl is finished, it is offered a final ritual before being sent along its way. Thus, the blessings ripple from both the giver and the receiver, feeling the unconditional love and embrace of a sheltering God!

What is a Prayer Shawl?

A Prayer Shawl in many things - it represents an unspoken covenant, a promise that through life’s joys and sorrows, “We are not alone”. We walk together as a faith community, and God’s presence is shared in all that we experience together. Shawl symbolize shelter, peace, and spiritual substance - “A Hug from God”

Some Uses from Prayer Shawls

• undergoing a medical procedure

• as a comfort after a loss

• during bereavement

• during an illness and recovery

• during marriage or commitment ceremonies

• ministering to others during a difficult time in one’s life

• baptism services

For more information about Prayer Shawls, visit https://shawlministry.com