The invitation came, but we were stumped. My mother and I were invited to St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Eureka, Missouri for a special presentation before church one Sunday morning last year. We didn't know why they wanted us to come, but our curiosity won out and we went. On that Sunday my mother received a knitted scarf handmade by Gloria Bowman. Every Wednesday evening for six weeks women met together to pray and knit in a group called Knit One, Pray Too. While she knitted, Gloria prayed for my mother, a recent widow with heart and circulatory problems.

Knit One, Pray Too is about knitting, mentoring, praying and sharing. Members meet once a week for six weeks. The group's purpose is to mentor members of the congregation as they learn to knit and to pray for others who are in need. Women in the group knit prayer scarves to be given to someone who is hurting with an illness or frailty or who simply needs support from a fellow Christian. As they knit, members pray and remember Bible verses that have been important in their lives during trials. They keep a journal to pass on to the recipient. When the prayer scarf is completed, both the scarf and the journal are given to someone specially chosen who is in need of prayer support and/or healing. The love that goes into the making of the scarf will help the recipient feel very special as a child of our loving God.

Groups represent the more than 85 recipients of scraves since Knit One, Pray Too started in 2002. Some knitters are pictured with them.

Twelve people received scarves that Sunday. What a joy it was for both the givers and receivers! The current class of 21 women meets in Carol Hurt's home. My mother is now one of the knitters. I am sure some of the scarves currently being knitted are for Carol as she battles lung cancer. All will be precious surprises created with love, compassion and prayer.

As Carol Hurt, founder of Knit One, Pray Too, reflected on this verse, she realized that our Father "cast us on" (formed us). He created the garment of our lives and He will be with us as we "bind off" (enter eternal life in heaven). Even though our knitting and our lives have mistakes and missed stitches, He is there forgiving us for Jesus' sake, holding us in His hands and helping us through this earthly life.