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Congregational Care
Quicklinks: Home | Congregational Care Grief, Grace and God: Finding God and Hope in the Midst of Loss - March 9th (back to top)
Breast Cancer Support Group - March 23rd (back to top)
Knit One, Pray Too - First and Third Thursday of each month (back to top) by Caroline Wilson After a bit of publicity, I discovered that many women shared my passion for knitting and also wanted to find a place to share in fellowship while doing what we enjoy. Our group began with a wide variety of abilities from those who had knitted for years to those who had never picked up a needle. We have truly bonded over our needles and all different colors of yarn! We now have 25 members of all levels. Some knit a shawl in 2 weeks while others (like me) might take 6 months! I have heard from many recipients of prayer shawls that they have been a comfort to them in times of need. One of our newest members was one such recipient! She wanted to join the group because receiving her shawl meant so much to her and she wanted to pass on the gift. Another prayer shawl story is recounted by Lynne McAdams, whose college-aged daughter was in the hospital for several weeks. She tells her story this way: “This fall our daughter, Rebecca, was hospitalized in critical condition. I was staying in the hospital around the clock and one day Lisa brought me a prayer shawl. At night while I was alone or very early in the morning, I would wrap myself in the shawl and pray. As I prayed, I was comforted not only by the warmth of the shawl but, also by the love that I knew had gone into the knitting of the shawl and the knowledge that so many people all over the world were praying for Rebecca at the same time that I was. Later, we learned that Joan Hitchens knit the shawl and then it was even more special to us because Joan is the mother of Holly Patton, and Holly is Rebecca’s godmother. Through the grace of God and her wonderful medical team, today Rebecca is completely healed and back living and loving college life.” The Knit One, Pray Too group meets on the first and third Thursday of each month from 1:30 to 3:00 PM in St. Francis D. Come join us! The pattern for the shawls comes from the Prayer Shawl Ministry formed in 1998 and was written and developed by Victoria Galo and Janet Bristow. Many churches throughout the world are now embracing this ministry. The original pattern for the shawls uses the symbolic “Trinity Stitch” of Knit 3, Purl 3 to encourage the knitters to pray as they knit. Many prayers are woven into each shawl, and all shawls are blessed at a service of worship at Christ Church before being passed on to a parishioner. Shawls can be given for many reasons: during an illness and recovery, to those undergoing medical procedures, as a comfort after a loss, or as a symbol of Christ Church’s love for a parishioner.
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Whether it is the loss of a loved one, loss of a marriage, loss of a job/career, or ongoing loss because of illness it is very easy to feel hopeless and alone. We all struggle with finding Grace in our lives. An important component of the Grace we receive from God is the gift of community. Join us as we use Jerry Sittser’s book "A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss" to promote discussions around the losses we have experienced in our lives. No matter where we are in our experience of loss, by sharing what we have encountered and what has helped us we might be able to help each other and ourselves to grow and to find God’s Grace for us. Come together for conversation and areas of finding hope.
The Breast Cancer Support Group Luncheon is Tuesday, March 23rd at 12 Noon. If you have ever been diagnosed with breast cancer then you are invited to be part of this vivacious group. Please join us for lunch at the home of Meredith Burns. Box lunches will be provided with an RSVP for $6.00. RSVP by March 19th to Lynne LeBlanc at 704-714-6968 or