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Sep 08, 2015 | Carol Muegge

Sewing the Tangible Expression of God's Love

 

The camaraderie is evident as the ladies chat, laugh, pray, cut and tie bright colored material to make into “Julia Blankets”. Since 2005, ladies of the Daughters of the King of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Brenham have gotten together once a month to cut blankets from large rolls of fabric printed in kid’s designs to finish and tie the edges to make fringe.  

 

The ministry is named after a child of St. Peter’s who had extensive hospital stays for treatments and testing. Once completed these blankets are given to the local hospital and the school district to be donated to children who, for various reasons, might be ill or in a scary situation. Some are given to teen parents and caregivers. As the printed explanation that accompanies the blanket says, “As we cut and tie the fabric, we pray for the person who will receive this special blanket. Curl it around you, close it over you like child’s play, and enter into the warm, dark quiet stillness. There you can rest, wait for healing, make friends with time. Let your body breathe in the secrets of the blanket.”

 

Individually, ladies of the church knit shawls for women and mufflers for men who are on St. Peter’s prayer list. The parishioner who places the name of a non-member on the prayer list delivers the shawl or muffler personally. Some have been sent to military personnel stationed overseas. Over the years around 365 shawls and mufflers have been made. Many thank you notes have been sent but a letter from one recipient expresses the benefit the best, “You folks are an extension of the hand of God, both physically and spiritually. I feel the comfort of Jesus as if he were putting his arm around me when the shawl is draped over my shoulders.”

 

Both the Julia Blankets and the shawls are blessed on the altar bi-monthly and then placed on a stand so everyone who comes to Eucharist can touch each of them on their way to the rail to also send their blessings.   Nancy Leaton, who heads up the blanket and shawl ministry explains that they are for people “Who need to see a tangible expression of God’s love”.