Others so blessed by Sew Blessed Ministry
news@TimesRecord.Com
04/02/2007
By Laurie Doran, Special to Neighbors
BRUNSWICK — Sew Blessed Ministry, founded by members of the St. John the Baptist
Church parish, is bustling with activity, filling needs in the community and
beyond.
It all started two years ago when this group of women noted many needs in the
community. They had a strong desire to help others by using their talents of
sewing, knitting and crocheting.
From the beginning, the group has knitted shawls for the worldwide "Prayer Shawl
Ministry." The shawls are prayed over as they are knitted and then blessed. The
shawls, knitted with soft yarn, are given to respite patients, the seriously ill
and dying, and their families. The recipient also receives a comforting prayer
with the gift.
The shawls are knit in the "Trinity" pattern, alternating with three knit
stitches and three purl stitches, and have many meanings. For example, symbolism
could mean "Father, Son and Holy Ghost;" or "past, present, future;" or "faith,
courage and strength;" or "mother, father and family."
Many recipients express the sentiment that when they wear the shawl it feels
like a hug.
"One man at a nursing home, who received a shawl, said it was the nicest thing
anyone has ever done for him," said Doriane Asquith, a member of the Sew Blessed
Ministry.
The work of these women grew rapidly like "a seed that fell on fertile ground,"
said Asquith.
The creations are all made by volunteers of the ministry.
Zoe Pinkham, 5, attended the March meeting with her grandmother and was knitting
a hat on the nifty knitter's loom for her baby brother who will be born soon.
All of the materials are donated or bought with donations, which include
material to make lap blankets and sheets, and notions and yarns for knitting
shawls. Jane Leighton, Sew Blessed Ministry organizer, is continually amazed at
the amount of donations that keep arriving on a weekly basis.
"We use everything that is donated," said Leighton. "Nothing goes to waste."
Last year the group supplied 360 sets of bed sheets for the Lefoyer Orphanage in
Haiti. When Mid Coast Hospital was about to replace old sheets, Sew Blessed
Ministry was able to recycle many of those sheets and transformed them to the
right size for the children's beds at the orphanage. Other sheets were bought
and still others were made. The group thrilled at their success of meeting the
need.
Through its work with first lady Karen Baldacci and the March of Dimes, the
group found the need to make garments for premature infants. And with that
awareness another need arose: burial sets for unexpected infant deaths at both
hospitals in the area.
Two wedding dresses were donated to make burial sets for the infants.
Members of the group also make quilts, afghans, preemie clothes, infant hats,
isolette quilts, burial sets for infants, slippers, mittens, booties,
christening sets and scarves. They also make walker caddies, lap robes, adult
bibs, wall hangings and fun pillows for kids, as well as stuffed toys.
They are also involved in making loose IV arm covers out of polar fleece for
dialysis patients to keep their arms from getting cold. For chemo therapy
patients the group makes hats and comfort bands.
Most recently the group has created a "seat belt pillow" for patients who have
had heart, lung or breast surgery. The removable outer cover is designed with
Velcro to attach to a seat belt. The pillow relieves the pressure of the
seatbelt cross the sensitive incision area.
Sew Blessed Ministry also makes prayer cloths for the prayer cloth ministry.
These 3 inch by 5 inch cloths knitted in muted colors are given to the troops
who wear them in their helmets or keep them in their pockets as a reminder that
they are remembered.
When the group first started they were named Sew Blessed Ministry of St. John
the Baptist Parish, but they have grown to include other churches in the area —
St. Mary's Church in Bath and St. Charles Borromeo Church on McKeen Street in
Brunswick, as well as a Baptist church on Maine Street.
Some members of the group are not able to travel, and materials are delivered to
them so they can actively participate in the organization.
Sew Blessed Ministry recently became an official certifying organization for the
Federal Presidential Volunteer Service Awards Program. Groups or individuals
that register their accumulated volunteer hours will be acknowledged for an
award from President Bush.
The group meets once a month at the St. John's Parish Center the first Sunday of
every month at 2 p.m.