Port Isabel ministry knits
God’s spirit into shawls

By Sara Plunkett
The Prayer Shawl Ministry was started at the First UMC, Port Isabel, in late April 2005. It is truly God’s ministry! We are God’s hands blessing what he wants us to bless.
The purpose of the Shawl Ministry is to give a shawl to any individual who is ill, has suffered a loss or is in the midst of a crisis. The recipient can be anyone in need.
Shawls have been well received by the recipients, and we are definitely reaching out into God’s kingdom. We have sent shawls all over the United States.
This ministry does not stop with just our church; its boundaries are limitless.
Our ministry was actually started by Shannon Hodges. She brought the idea here from the Methodist Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she is a member.
We meet twice a month for a devotional, fellowship and knitting. After we have knit the shawls and we have a recipient, we have our prayer team and pastor lay hands on the shawl and bless it. It is then delivered by the team or mailed with a letter explaining the shawl ministry, along with a pamphlet and a couple of prayer cards. We wrap the shawls in colorful tissue paper tied with pieces of the yarn that match the shawl. We deliver them like a florist would deliver a bouquet of roses. The packages are so beautiful and so full of God’s love, grace and healing.
We pay for the yarn through donations. The fourth Sunday of each month, Pastor Mike Mclaughlin passes an extra offering plate for the ministry. Wal-Mart has blessed us with a donation of yarn for which we are very grateful. We welcome any and all donations
Our mission statement is as follows: “Our prayer Shawl Ministry is as much about a spiritual gift as a physical gift of a shawl. The spirit of God is in the shawl as we pray while knitting and sharing with others.”
Knitting into the mystery is what we are doing. As we knit, God already knows who the next recipient will be. It is as much about getting together for fellowship and spending time with God as it is in knitting the shawl.
I would like to challenge all churches in the McAllen District to start a Prayer Shawl Ministry. If you need help in getting started, call me, and I would be delighted to mail you information. My telephone number is (956) 943-7457.