What is a prayer shawl?
A prayer shawl is a garment that is made for someone who is experiencing a tough time in their lives. This can be someone that is going through dialysis, cancer treatments, the loss of a loved one, depression... the list goes on. It can also be given for happy occasions like birthdays, graduation, baptism, etc. The prayer shawl is made and presented to them with the idea that while it was being created the recipient was prayed for from start to finish. When presented it is symbolic because it is wrapped around the person... essentially wrapping them in prayers. The prayer shawl is there to offer comfort and to let the person know that God has them in His arms.
How is it made?
Before the maker starts they pray asking for a blessing from God that their work will help the recipient through the tough time that they are going through or conversly that the shawl will bring joyful memories of a happy occasion. As the shawl is made the maker continues to pray blessings until it is completed and a completion prayer is said. The shawl is prayed over from the start to the finish... thus, a prayer shawl.
How is it given?
There are a few different ways. If you know the recipient you can give it to them yourself, wrapping it around them as you say a final prayer. It can be given during a ceremony at your church where the congregation prays together as the shawl is wrapped around the recipient. If there are a number of shawls that are made and donated to something like a nursing home or long care facility it may be out of your hands as to how it is given.
A prayer shawl is a garment that is made for someone who is experiencing a tough time in their lives. This can be someone that is going through dialysis, cancer treatments, the loss of a loved one, depression... the list goes on. It can also be given for happy occasions like birthdays, graduation, baptism, etc. The prayer shawl is made and presented to them with the idea that while it was being created the recipient was prayed for from start to finish. When presented it is symbolic because it is wrapped around the person... essentially wrapping them in prayers. The prayer shawl is there to offer comfort and to let the person know that God has them in His arms.
How is it made?
Before the maker starts they pray asking for a blessing from God that their work will help the recipient through the tough time that they are going through or conversly that the shawl will bring joyful memories of a happy occasion. As the shawl is made the maker continues to pray blessings until it is completed and a completion prayer is said. The shawl is prayed over from the start to the finish... thus, a prayer shawl.
How is it given?
There are a few different ways. If you know the recipient you can give it to them yourself, wrapping it around them as you say a final prayer. It can be given during a ceremony at your church where the congregation prays together as the shawl is wrapped around the recipient. If there are a number of shawls that are made and donated to something like a nursing home or long care facility it may be out of your hands as to how it is given.