Needles and Pins began in the early 2000’s with Janet Neumar, a Saint Lukan who’s since moved to Lancaster, coordinating a group of folks who met twice a month to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Janet Bellak and Liz Harmon were the next to take up the ministry, and they organize Needles and Pins today. Janet Bellak, a long-time quilter, taught by her mother, was inspired by her predecessor and continues on Mondays because, “It’s a lovely group of people” and she sees their gifts as helping people all over the world who’ve gone through awful events in their lives.

Liz reports that with a substantial number of quilters and a weekly schedule now, they’ve been turning out over 100 quilts a year! Lutheran World Relief does a lot of good around the world with people who are made refugees by conflict or natural disasters. Needles and Pins was one life-sustaining ministry here that continued to meet when the CoViD-19 pandemic shut down most in-person gatherings. Social distancing led them to work at two tables instead of one, and continue to supply quilts, because the need didn’t end when things shut down in 2020.

Lutheran World Relief also distributes personal hygiene kits and school kits around the world. In late August and early September, we’ll be collecting items to make up 50 hygiene and 60 school kits. They’ll be assembled on September 10 as part of our observance of “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday, an annual Lutheran day of service. Watch your announcements and weekly e-mails for details and how to help.

In the meantime, Needles and Pins continues to meet on Mondays at 9:30am in Saint Luke. Each week women gather to make quilts that will be sent to areas worldwide that are suffering as the result of man-made or natural disasters. No sewing experience is necessary, so all are welcome to participate in this purposeful program.