In response to demand - here's the pattern.
Anna Chaplain Babs Lowes in Barrow, Cumbria, has been overwhelmed by the response to her idea to knit crosses for older people:
I thank God that he put everybody involved in knitting holding crosses for all Barrow care homes, assisted living and sheltered accommodation, on this Barrow Anna Chaplaincy project. The Church of Barrow have indeed pulled out all the stops, but God always gives us immeasurably more than we can imagine. People from the Church of Low Furness have also been knitting and also people in our communities.
We knew we had a target to meet of around 700 crosses and that was some target! With two weeks to go, and the crosses we had collected and the pledges made, we knew that we were way off our target and began to pray for double portions, because that was what we needed, and we trusted in God that he would answer our prayers.
As we collected the crosses pledged, as well as those we had no idea were being knitted; some were even pushed through my letter box, from whom we do not know, we thought we would have enough. We took the whole collection to St James’s Church, to bag and label correctly for their destination. It became abundantly clear that God had been faithful and we did have some spares, which we would be able to give to Furness General Hospital. We had discussed that the hospital should be included originally, but decided that it would probably overstretch us; but God always knows better. So we delivered all of the assigned crosses and filled a bag for the hospital from two large bags.
Miracle of the loaves and fishes
I cannot explain what happened, except that these two bags appeared to be bottomless so we were able to fill so many more bags. Suggestions were made as to where to deliver them. All I can say, is that the maths just did not work out. It reminded me of the miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the jar of flour and the jug of oil of the widow, which God kept replenishing for her son, herself and Elijah. We can account for 700 crosses but our faithful God enabled us to deliver approximately 1,000.
You have all been part of this wonderful work of God and no matter what part you played, it was just as important as anyone else’s. Your willingness to work together, has indeed meant so much, to so many on Christmas morning, bringing them the hope, love and peace of Jesus Christ.
So with God moving in the midst, we were able to deliver to other places in Barrow such as the Furness Homeless Shelter and also beyond Barrow to Aldingham, Askam, Ireleth, Broughton, Dalton and Ulverston including St Mary’s Hospice, in effect covering the Furness Peninsula.
A huge thank-you to all prayers, knitters, wrappers, taggers, collectors, sorters, deliverers, and encouragers. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you know, who helped in any way as we do not have email addresses for everyone, as you can imagine.
So many thanks and every blessing.
