Presbyterian Women

Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church, working together to promote Christian fellowship, mission outreach and to support our congregation. All women are invited to join in our fellowship and our projects, there is no form to sign, you don’t even have to be a church member.  We welcome you. Circles meet monthly from September to May or June.
 

Our Circles

Esther Circle

Meets at 3:00 p.m. the third Monday of the month in the Sheldon Jackson Lounge or at members’ homes
 

Priscilla Circle

Meets at 9:15 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the Sheldon Jackson Lounge
 

Ruth Circle

Meets at 10:00 a.m. on the third Saturday of the month in the Sheldon Jackson Lounge.
 

Mission Projects and offerings

• The PW Women’s Retreat is a weekend of fellowship and spiritual nurture.

• Fellowship of the Least Coin

• Product donations to Ronald McDonald House, Hope Lodge, and Gift of Life House

• Thank Offering

• Birthday Offering

• Medical Missions Coffee

• PW sponsors an annual Rummage Sale in the spring to raise money for mission projects – local, national and international

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl ministry seeks to use our gifts  of working with yarn for the special work of comforting and celebrating God’s people in their joys and sorrows.  Each shawl crocheted or knit is blessed by a laying on of hands and a special prayer. Prayer shawls have been given to new babies, to people facing serious health problems and those celebrating milestones in their lives.
 

Join the Prayer Shawl Ministry

An informal meeting of knitters and crocheters happens at 1:00 pm on the second Thursday of the month, September through May, in the Sheldon Jackson Lounge.  This is the time when we bless our shawls, trade patterns, give and receive help, and enjoy each-other’s company.  All are welcome – all you have to do is show up.
 

Give a Prayer Shawl

Prayer shawls are always given, they are not for sale.  If you know of someone to whom you would like to give a prayer shawl, call the church office to get the contact information.
 

MORE About the Shawls

In 1998, Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo, two graduates of the 1997 Women’s Leadership Institute at The Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut, gave birth to a ministry as a result of their experience in this program of applied Feminist Spirituality under the direction of Professor Miriam Therese Winter, MMS. Compassion and the love of knitting/crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry and spiritual practice which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace, as well as in celebration and joy. Many blessings are prayed into every shawl.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry of First Presbyterian Church Rochester was started in 2004, when Carole Lloyd, then chaplain at Season’s Hospice, who had seen a shawl comfort a dying cancer patient, and Elizabeth Remfert, whose mother was knitting prayer shawls in Madison, WI, got together to introduce the idea to our congregation.  Since then dozens of women have participated and about 200 shawls have been blessed and given.

Learn more about Prayer Shawl Ministry at shawlministry.com.