The Prayer Shawl Ministry was created by Jane Bristow and Vicky Gallo decades ago as a project, while they attended a program in applied spirituality at The Women’s Leadership Institute in Hartford, CT.
The weaving of healing prayers into the fabric of each shawl resulted in a new ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort.
Shawls have been given during illness or recovery, at times of loss and in times of joy.
The tradition of the annual Interfaith Prayer Shawl Tea in the Merrimack Valley began in 2004.
Communities Together held the tea at the First Calvary Baptist Church and moved the event to St. Augustine Parish in 2007.
In 2018 the Trinitarian Congregational Church became host for the annual event.
Prayer Shawl creators from different churches in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire gather at the Annual Prayer Shawl Tea to celebrate the spirit of the Prayer Shawl Ministry.
Chaplains and representatives from healthcare facilities and hospice organizations are invited to receive the shawls at the event.
The creators bring with them the vast array of shawls that they have knitted and crocheted. Imbedded within each shawl are the prayers of the creator for the recipient.
Chaplains and others tell stories from their experiences sharing prayer shawls and bringing comfort to the recipients.