By Joanne Dorr
The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA—The St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Caledonia began their Prayer Shawl Ministry (PSM) on February 7, 2008 and this month they’ve hit a big milestone at 700 shawls made and gifted.
The PSM started with a conversation between Canon Lynn Thackwray and St. Paul’s parishioners Anne Jay and Judith Ryan about the rising popularity of Prayer Shawl Ministries in the United States, and how they could start their own in Caledonia.
After discussing the idea with fellow parishioners, Jay and Ryan decided the shawls and lap robes were to be given out in times of illness, bereavement, and celebrations. Jay recalls delivering the very first shawl to a young man who had been diagnosed with cancer: “He was so grateful that someone cared, someone who didn’t even know him, and we realized what this would mean to people.”
St. Paul’s current interim leader, Cannon David Linn, says, “In the time I’ve been here I’m aware that shawls go out to church and non-church people in the community. It’s a very happy and cheerful group so it’s a great way to get together and enjoy each other’s company.”
St. Paul’s PSM meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. With 12 to 15 members, the group begins their meeting with prayer and each meeting ends with lunch. Ryan explains that anyone is invited, adding, “There are people from other churches and some that don’t belong to a church. It’s become more of a fellowship.”
The group is happy to teach beginners knitting and crocheting and anyone in the community is welcome to join. Ryan remembers when they first started that the group intended to meet monthly, but the beginner knitters objected because they wanted more frequent help and coaching to correct their mistakes.
As part of St. Paul’s outreach and fellowship programs, the PSM knit baby hats for McMaster Children’s Hospital, hat and scarf sets for the Seafarers’ Mission, and items for the Caledonia Food Bank, the Out-of-the-Cold Program, and the Women’s Shelter in Simcoe. On top of this PSM has also participated in community outreach programs in schools teaching children how to knit.
Once each shawl is completed and before it is sent on its way, a final blessing is offered by the parish priest. The shawls have gone as far away as South Africa, Pakistan, and Australia before reaching their final destination.
Reverend Cheryl Barker, who recently left St. Paul’s after 13 years, adds, “The Prayer Shawl group here is absolutely amazing because it touches so many lives. It started out with just a couple of the ladies’ ideas and it grew into something that has given out over 700 shawls that bring comfort and love and an experience of God in the community.”
