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On a shoulder and a prayer
Ministry ensures that cool people keep warm
Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES
Kay Laughton of Hughesville and Janet Sargent, left, of Waldorf started the prayer shawl ministry, which has about 12 members.
The prayer shawl ministry at St. Paul's Piney Parish started in July.
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When Kay Laughton's late mother, Mary-Alice Haupt, was living at the Charles County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in La Plata, Laughton noticed how much her mother liked to be surrounded by soft, warm things.
"When my mom was it the nursing home, it was important to have soft things around her," said Laughton, who started the prayer shawl ministry, along with Janet Sargent, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Piney Parish in Waldorf.
The group meets on the first and third Thursday morning of each month in the meeting hall of the church, sitting around a table working on various projects — not only do the ladies craft shawls, but also lap robes and baptismal blankets — for various recipients.
Items have gone to oncology patients, homebound parishioners and those in the hospital, and at the start of 2010, shawls will be given to dialysis patients; the group also looks at the church calendar to see when baptisms are coming up.
Giving the shawls and blankets away is all the reward the women want.
"The only thing we don't do is sell them," Laughton said.
Jan Spotz recalled giving a shawl to a woman who was overcome by the gift.
"She touched it and said she could feel the love in it," Spotz said. "She said every time she puts it on, she can feel the love."
Most of the members have been crocheting and knitting since they were children and while Harriott Gough can churn out a number of shawls — she is considered the group's most prolific, making about 65 items so far, other members take a bit longer.
"It depends," laughed Sallie Lyons. "For me, it's a week. For Harriott, it's a day."
Members work on projects at home as well, but the meetings give them the opportunity to get together to visit.
"It's a social hour," Sargent said. "It's open to anybody. You don't have to go to our church, you don't even need to know how to do this stuff."
"Harriott and Janet teach crocheting," Laughton said, adding that newcomers don't even have to bring supplies, the church provides them.
The members are always available to talk to members of other churches and groups to offer advice about starting a similar ministry.
Crafters always need to have busy hands, and after family and friends have had their fill of handmade products — "How many afghans can one person have?" Laughton said — the ministry offers an outlet to those looking for projects, especially since there is no pressure.
"We don't have a product line," Sargent said.
In addition to a tag sewn on to each, the blankets and shawls are blessed by Piney Parish's pastor, the Rev. Joy A. Rose before they are given away.
Most are donated to seniors for a simple reason.
"Older people are cooler than young ones," Elsie Mintz said with double meaning.
To learn more
For more information about joining the prayer shawl ministry, starting one or donating to it, call St. Paul's at 301-645-5000. The church is at 4535 Piney Church Road in Waldorf.
Go to www.pineyparish.org.
