Date: 08/14/2010 Time: 09:00AM Location: Fellowship Hall
During some of our services you may be invited to tie a knot in a "Prayer Quilt." The Community Church of Poway's Prayers & Squares group is a member of an interfaith outreach organization that combines the gift of prayer with the gift of a hand-tied quilt. The purpose of Prayers & Squares is not to make and distribute quilts, but to promote prayer through the use of quilts. Our motto is: "It's not about the quilt; it's all about the prayers." If you have questions about the Prayers and Squares group or would like to quilt, please call the church office at (858) 748-3304 for more information.
Each Knot Represents a Prayer The idea behind these prayer quilts is simple. A heavy thread is used to take stitches through the quilt layers, and the ends are left free to be tied with square knot. As each knot is tied, a silent prayer is said for someone in special need, who then receives the finished quilt.
The Three Commandments of Prayer Quilting
Remember the Prayers & Squares motto: “It’s not about the quilt, it’s all about the prayers.” The purpose of your ministry must be to promote an active prayer life among the participants, not just to make and give away quilts. Strive to involve as many people as possible in your prayer efforts.
You must ASK before you give the gift of a prayer quilt; surprises are not appropriate. Ask if the person to receive the quilt will accept your gift of prayer. Ask what they would like you to pray for. Ask what information about their situation may be shared with others.
Do not accept any form of payment for a prayer quilt; it is a gift of love and prayer which cannot be bought or sold. Those who request or receive prayer quilts must not be made to feel obligated to Prayers & Squares in any way.
Some of these points may seem obvious to you. Who would try to put a price tag on a prayer quilt? But you may wonder about the second point. Often people would prefer to surprise someone with the gift of a prayer quilt. That's the way gifts are usually given, right? But we have found through experience that a surprise prayer quilt may be an inappropriate gift in some cases. Of course, we agree that everyone could benefit from the gift of prayer, but stop to consider how this particular gift is made. The recipient might not be comfortable being a "prayer focus" for a congregation or any large group of people. There is also the question of confidentiality. How much information would that person like to have shared about their situation? For that matter, do we really know how that person would like to have us pray for them? We not only ask for permission before making the prayer quilt, we also ask what prayers they would like us to offer on their behalf.
CLICK HERE to see the website for the national Prayers and Squares organization, based in Rancho Bernardo, California.
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