Mar 20, 2019
By Pat Williams
SDB Church, Boulder, CO
A recent article in a healthcare magazine stated that “Creative play is a way to bring more relaxation, creative problem-solving, and focus into our busy days.” Our Craft Fellowship has found this to be SO true. About a year ago, a group of ladies from our church who like to do handwork projects decided to get together to fellowship while we crafted. Our church is in the process of moving to a new location where we are looking for ways to serve and reach out to the community. We are keeping in mind ways we might be able to relate with those we meet in our day-to-day lives and crafting as a group seemed like a good way to start.
As we began, we didn’t have a goal other than to be together while we worked and just see if God had a direction for us. It was suggest- ed that we learn how to make microwave bowl cozies since we all thought we would like to have them to use. A microwave bowl cozy is a pot-holder that a soup bowl fits in so you can pick it up safely when it is hot right out of the microwave. Before long, we accumulated all the supplies from cleaning out our sewing closets and donations from others and began making cozies. When others heard about them and told their friends, we realized it could be our first project. Asking a suggested donation of $5, it wasn’t long before we had accumulated some funds. It was then we felt this could be a way to support some different needs in our congregation, community, and denomination. As time went on, we met weekly in a basement room at one of our (generous) ladies’ houses which had been turned into a full-fledged sewing shop with large tables for four sewing machines and shelves to display supplies. We were “in business” and ready to craft together.
Over the year we were able to provide two camp scholarships for kids who otherwise would not have been able to have a Christian camp experience, four bicycles for pastors in Zambia, a monetary donation to the local Help Center, and bowl cozies added to Christmas food boxes offered to those in need in our community.
As we were beginning to wonder where we would be led next, a teacher in our congregation asked if we would be interested in making “Feeling and Emotion Dolls” for use in her school where she is a Special Education teacher. Ten-sets-of-eight-dolls later, we are now brain-storming our next adventure. We mostly look for sewing or crochet projects, but could try other things. Ideas we have been considering are a pen holder for a Bible or journal and a project to give to women who are dealing with breast cancer.
Wherever God leads us, I know it will include lots of laughter and blessings in finding ways to serve others.
