Prayer
Quilts
Each
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If
anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so
that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be
the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11
Many
years ago, Bertie See brought an idea to the United Methodist Women
to begin a ministry of prayer quilts. The idea was to create
beautiful quilts that could be given to individuals or families who
needed the loving arms of the congregation to surround them. As
individuals we tie a knot with the threads that are placed in the
quilt and say a prayer for the recipient of the quilt. After the time
of knot tying and prayers, the quilts are then delivered.
I
started thinking about all the steps in the quilt process and
realized that the people who create the quilts spend a large amount
of time blessing the quilts and thinking about who might be receiving
the quilts. The first step is that a few of the ladies who love to
shop visit a local fabric store to purchase the fabric. They look at
colors and textures and feel the softness of the fabric, knowing that
someone will be holding the finished quilt. Fabrics are then washed,
cut and ironed. On quilting days with tables everywhere, we turn the
Great Hall into a maze of colors. We have some wonderful ladies who
love to iron. As they smooth out the fabric and press it into a
beautiful square, the beauty of the design and the colors speak to
them of God’s creation.
The
next step is to lay out the layers of fabric and batting, creating a
quilt sandwich. There is often a lot of lifting and shifting, much
smoothing and joining of edges. Big quilting pins are used to pin the
edging on the quilts. Then the quilts are given to several people who
seam the bindings to the edges. I usually bring my sewing machine on
our assembly days and often sew bindings on the quilt “sandwiches.”
As I sew all four sides, I often think of the individuals who might
receive the beautiful quilts. Do they like flowers? Do they enjoy
bright colors? Does the design appeal to someone who likes
traditional elements? Will they be able to feel the love that was
used in selecting a quilt for them?
The
next step is to turn the edges and pin them in preparation for
hand-stitching. We often take them home or give them to women who
like to work at home, quietly stitching the edges. I know that we
often put in those little hidden stitches thinking about those whose
lives need a little repair or extra attention. Someone once
laughingly said that they didn’t want to get a quilt because it
meant something bad was happening, but I feel that we should all look
at it as our congregational support and love for being part of such a
wonderful community of faith. I’d be happy to have all those
prayers said for me anytime.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the talents of those in our congregation and
bless all those who need the loving care of our congregation. Bless
those who sew the quilts and those who receive them. Grant them peace
and love that enfolds them daily. Amen.
Libby
Van de Putte
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