Showcasing an Anna Chaplain's remarkable prayer quilts
- debbiethrower0
- Oct 27
- 2 min read
Helen Dray began her ministry as an Anna Chaplain in Aberdeen back in February. She joined us for the Gathering at High Leigh recently and we learnt about an unusual aspect of her work based at the Church of Scotland's Stockethill Church: 'God has given me a ministry for making Prayer Quilts' she said.
'As I make a quilt I pray for the person I am making it for as I sew. My prayers are entwined with every stitch I make. If I don’t know who I am making it for I pray more “general prayers”. God often prompts me who to make it for, sometimes I just make them and when I have finished them I know who to give it to.'
'I often make quilts using small scrapes of fabric, left over from other projects. It puts me in mind of the phrase, 'Beauty out of Ashes' (Isaiah 61:3). What could have been cast aside, has been used to make something lovely. Quilting also gives me peace and a purpose, as well as making people happy in the process.'
Helen, whose church serves the Cairncry, Cornhill, Foresterhill and Stockethill areas of Aberdeen, also knits prayer shawls and, likewise, adds, that while working on a piece, 'I pray as I knit.'
We were so impressed by what Helen is doing that it reminded Debbie Ducille of a shawl prayer she has used several times in Anna Chaplaincy. 'People seem to like it and often request the wording' she said.
The invitation is to hold a shawl, scarf or blanket around one’s own shoulders, or invite an older person to do so, with the following words:
Take a moment to feel warm, loved, cherished. Memories from childhood may come flowing in of being wrapped up and feeling warm and safe in this way: take a moment to be thankful for that memory.
As we let our bodies experience that warm, surrounded, feeling use your hands and faces to feel the softness of the fabric or wool. How comforting!
Breathe deeply, and hear these words. God says, ‘You are loved; you are cherished; you are not alone.’
From the Bible (Psalm 32) we hear this: ‘The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him’. The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds [insert name], who trusts in him.
Thank you for your love, Lord. Amen.
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