Shawl Ministry

Shawl Ministry Profile
(This article re-printed with permission from the Register Guard)
January 5, 2005

Profile: Group's founder enjoys knitting for others

Name: Eliza Drummond, 44, Eugene
Claim to fame: Founded local chapter of the Shawl Ministry. The group of knitters meets once a month to work on prayer shawls that are then given to friends, family members or strangers in the midst of transition - a loss or illness, or a birth, wedding or graduation. Members have completed more than 20 shawls since the group's start in May.
Who's in the group?: So far, about 10 people, representing five churches, mostly age 40 and above, one man and the rest women. The key to the ministry is to consciously pray for or think about the person for whom the shawl is being made.
Knitting background: Drummond, whose e-mail handle is "fiberliza," has been knitting since she was 14. She learned about the Shawl Ministry - founded by two women in Connecticut in 1997 - while researching her master's of theology thesis. Drummond interviewed one of the Connecticut women for the thesis, titled "Hand Spinning as a Form of Meditation."

Eliza Drummond (left) helps Beth Weldy with a knitting problem at a Shawl Ministry meeting at First Christian Church.

Photo: Wayne Eastburn / The Register-Guard

So spinning is a spiritual practice?: "There are stories in almost every culture about spinning as a sacred art. There are also a lot of myths about spinning - look at Rumpelstiltskin. Some cultures actually thought the act of spinning was magical - that you could heal people by spinning."
You call your group "a ministry of yarns and needles": "So often people mistake the word 'ministry' for a person standing up and delivering a message. But ministry really means a calling to do something for other people."
What are the rewards?: "We really feel it's a gift not only to those who get the shawl but to those who get to do it, because it gives us a chance to recognize how blessed we are in our lives. And knitting is something that most of us love to do, so this gives us an excuse to do it more!"
When and where does the group meet?: The third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at First Christian Church, 1166 Oak St. For more information, contact Drummond at 914-2614 or at fiberliza@msn.com. Or check out www.shawlministry.com online, as well as http://www.heartofeugene.org/Mission/MissionShawl.htm.
- Jeff Wright (Register Guard)

Home | About Our Church | Services | Mission | Education | Youth Fellowship
Music Programs | Join a Group | Interfaith Ministry | Sermons | Pastor's Page
Questions or comments about this web site? Contact the WebMasters