the celebration continues!

Marti bows before the Queen

Celebrating the completion of 500 shawls by Babs Donahue

Babs Donahue completed her 500th shawl on New Year's Day. Our January meeting on the 14th was a special occasion...we welcomed three new knitters to our ministry..Beverly, Donna and Lorraine. Before our opening prayer, Marti Page talked about Bab's extraordinary dedication and accomplishment. At the end of our meeting we prayed over the shawls and invited our knitters to stay for a light lunch..we adjourned to the kitchen in the Pastoral Center where a wonderful feast was waiting. Also waiting, behind closed doors were members of Bab's family, our prayer shawl wrappers, and many friends. As you can see by the pictures on this blog, Babs was overcome with surprise and emotion. There wasn't a dry eye in the place! Congratulations Babs and love and blessings from all of us!  Now on to #600!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

To Thee, O God, we lift our hearts in gratitude and praise. For all the blessings which You send into our lives each day. Though undeserving we may be, our needs You still supply; teach us to share with others, these blessings from on high. .Loise Pinkerton Fritz

Our ministry truly is a blessing to share with others.

Sunday, The Feast of the Epiphany

"Then, opening their treasure chests they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." Matthew 2:1-12

"Deep down, the gift today is of God's love for us and the invitation to let his love flow into our lives. Can we go to the crib and just offer ourselves on this "little Christmas?"

                                             Donal Neary, SJ
The opportunity to knit our prayer shawls for those who need...their comfort is our gift to God, to others and to ourselves.
Our next meeting is Saturday, January 14th at 10:30 in the Pastoral Center...join us in celebrating a milestone for one of our treasured knitters!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Good morning and Happy New Year. .today is World Prayer Day and also the Feast of the Solemnity of the Mother of God. .let us ask her for her blessing over our ministry this year.

Christmas Day 2011

"And she brought forth her newborn son and lay him in a manger....His name was Jesus and he would become the savior of the world"

Good Morning and Merry Christmas...this is the first anniversary of our blog. May peace and love surround you on this Christmas and all through the coming year.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  Psalm 27:14-15

                                                          

Our December meeting and cookie swap

We met again this year at Babs Donahue's home and enjoyed coming together for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the season. Our wonderful Marti was not able to be with us due to her sister-in-law Beth's death and Evan's sister Kathleen's stroke. It is a truly difficult time for them and they were included in our closing prayers. Our members were given the opportunity to mention anyone who also needed our prayers. Then it was time to celebrate another Christmas custom for our ministry.....COOKIES! Somehow the knitting goes faster when you are expecting a tasty treat as a reward. We started with Bab's famous (and delicious) chili and then it was time to have a taste of all those goodies. As you can by the photos a good time was had by all!

Check out the last photo...Babs needs to put some hot chocolate in this mug and Santa may grant her wish!

 

Third Sunday of Advent

"We must wait for God, long, meekly, in the wind and wet, in the thunder and lightning, in the cold and the dark. Wait, and He will come. He never comes to those who do not wait."  Frederick William Faber

                      

Is God keeping you waiting today? Is there a need you expressed or request you have made to which God has not responded? Perhaps He designed this time of waiting in order for you to discover a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. 

From...Soul Retreats for Moms

2nd Sunday of Advent

"Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:24-25

"For a few moments today, step away from your fast-paced world..Find a place of stillness in your soul. Pause and rest there for a while, waiting for God to speak to your heart."

From: Soul Retreats for Moms

              

First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent begins a time of contemplation...awaiting and anticipating the birth of Jesus Christ...as you knit each stitch, be patient and know that as your shawl is nearing completion, that the glory of Christmas is also drawing near. 

"I will watch for the Lord; I will wait confidently for God, who will save me. My God will hear me."  Micah 7:7

For all the blessings of the year, for all the friends we hold so dear, for peace on earth, both far and near, we thank Thee, Lord
For life and health, those common things, which every day and hour brings, for home, where our affection clings, we thank Thee, Lord
For love of Thine, which never tires, which all our better thought inspires, and warms our lives with heavenly fires, we thank Thee, Lord
                             Albert H. Hutchinson

A blessed and happy Thanksgiving to members of our Prayer Shawl Ministry and to those we knit for and remember in our prayers.

The Feast of Christ the King

As the days grow shorter and darkness falls, let the light of Christ our King guide us through the night.

November meeting

Our November meeting was held on Saturday the 12th. It was very uplifting in many ways. Our wonderful knitter, Babs Donahue returned to us after being seriously ill. During her illness, Babs managed to knit 26 shawls! You are such an inspiration Babs! We also met Bab's friend Donna and hope to see her at our meetings again. We also welcomed back the ladies from the Oakdale United Methodist Church in West Boylston who visited last year . Mary's room was full of the sound of clicking needles, conversation and prayer!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

So many shades of gold, Autumn...another miracle we take for granted, another expression of the Artist's vision...the blending of the autumn hues with the setting sun..warm, comforting, perfect. Thank you for Autumn, Lord....Joyce Rupp

Sunday, October 16, 2011

We only had six knitters at our October meeting, but Mary's room was full of the sound of clicking needles, prayer and talk among friends. We welcomed a new member to our group - Natalie is the sister-in-law of Deb Koziara ...she drove from Natick to join us and brought two beautiful shawls! Welcome Natalie!

October meeting

A reminder that our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 8 at 10:30 am in Mary's room at the Pastoral Center.

"Thy bounty shines in Autumn unconfirmed
and spreads a common feast for all that live"                                 
                                       James Thomson
                                              

A new season for St. Mary's Prayer Shawl ministry

Our tenth season will begin on Saturday, September 10th from 10:30 am to noon in Mary's room at the pastoral center. 837 shawls have been given out since the ministry was started in 2001.  We meet on the second Saturday of each month until the end of May and take a break during the summer. 
New members are welcome....if you knit or crochet, you will find this is a rewarding way to share your time and talent. Please join us!

"Prosper the work of our hands, oh Lord"

                                

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Turn your face to the sun, and let the warmth of God's love pour over you and into your knitting.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

                                  "Knitting is the simplest & most ordinary of activities,
                                      yet somehow it mysteriously contains within itself
                                      the potential for expanding our conscious awareness"

Susan Gordon Lydon

      Stay cool this week...take a few moments to sit in the shade and knit 

...become aware of the beauty around you.

Sunday, July 17th

Thought for the week..

"The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth,

one is nearer to God's heart in a garden,

than anywhere else on earth."

Dorothy Frances Gurney

Sunday, July 10th - the simplicity of happiness

Thought for the week..."Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply,,to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."   

Storm Jameson

Summer

Summer is finally here....enjoy the warmth and the beauty of God's creation....bring your knitting into the garden and as you knit, notice the colors, the scents, listen to the birdsong and the humming of the bees...and let tranquility fill your soul.

Trinity Sunday

As you knit, think of the love  of the Holy Trinity pouring into your stitches...this picture of the asters growing wild in our garden was perfect for today's blog.

the fire of the Holy Spirit

"It is the fire of suffering that brings forth the gold of goodness"  

 M. Guyon

The weather has been very chilly for the third week in June...hopefully the Holy Spirit is inspiring you to knit!!

              

Knitting and lunch - May 21, 2011

We met on May 21st for a lovely sharing of knitting, friendship and lunch. See you all in September...have a wonderful summer and keep on knitting!

prayer shawl ministry meeting for May

Just a reminder that our May meeting will be on the 21st this month. Looking forward to seeing you there...this will be our final meeting until   September. Please remember to bring something to share for our lunch. See you then!

"For lo, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth. The time of singing has come."  Song of Solomon 2:11 12

May 4, 2011

"Our spiritual journeys are lived moment by moment, not day by day or even week by week"  Leslie Williams

Easter Sunday

"He is risen!" Alleluia!  Happy Easter everyone!

Good Friday and Holy Saturday

"We will not fear,though the earth will give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea"

reflection on a spring day

"Love is a flower that grows in any soil...blooming fair and fragrant all the year and blessing all those who give and those who receive."     Louisa May Alcott

in memory

this post is in memory of my sister Maureen who slipped peacefully and gently into heaven on March 29th.  She was wrapped in her prayer shawl and surrounded by family and friends. Sleep warm dear sister, mother and friend.

The wrapping

Marti and Sue were so privileged to wrap one of our ministry members last night...what a spiritual experience! JoAnne, you are in our hearts and prayers today as you have your surgery. May your shawl comfort you  -and be "a hug from God" during your days of recovery.


"Mantle of Love, rebirth us with wisdom. Knit us once again into wholeness"     
excerpt from Ariadne's blessing by Janet Bristow

March 7, 2011

Faith, family and friends are all that we need....a simple but powerful message!