Prayer Quilt Ministry

Why make prayer quilts? Because prayer quilts are more than quilts. They are the visible, tangible physical evidence of faith - faith in God, faith in love, and faith in prayer. But most of all they are a symbol of our faith in one another. Prayer quilts are vessels that hold all good wishes, thoughts, and hopes - the prayers - of the people who make them and of those who need them. 

A few ladies started an informal quilting group in 1992 at Hope United Methodist Church in Rancho Bernardo, California, with no other purpose than to have fun making quilts together.  Then, a group member's 2-year-old grandson ended up in a coma following heart surgery.  His doctors were very pessimistic about his chances for recovery. The ladies decided to make a quilt in vivid primary colors. There was no time to quilt it, so it was tied with perle cotton thread as silent prayers were said for him.  Thus began the Prayer Quilt Ministry.  If you wish to read more, please go to the web site http://prayerquilt.org.  Many other sites are available by searching "Prayer Quilt Ministry". 

Prayer Quilt Ministry was founded on the universal religious truth that God is love. The ministry has never restricted those who can receive the quilts or those who can make the quilts to a single faith.  The three "commandments" of the ministry are, simply put:

  1. It's not about the quilt; it's all about the prayers. The purpose must be to promote an active prayer life among the participants, not just to make and give away quilts.
  2. You must ASK if the person who is to receive the quilt will accept your gift of prayer. Ask what they would like you to pray for.  Ask what information about their situation may be shared with others, surprises are not appropriate.
  3. Do not accept any form of payment for a prayer quilt; it is a gift of love and prayer which cannot be bought or sold.

St, Raphael's Episcopal Church Women started our ministry of prayer quilts in 2006.  To date we have presented seven individuals with quilts requested by our members. The ECW will continue to make prayer quilts throughout the year. 

Photos of some of our prayer quilts are included here. 

 

Info was taken from "Fabric of Faith" by Kimberly Winston as well as from the prayer quilt web site.

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