Did you know that in addition to being St. Patrick's Day, March 17 is also National Quilting Day and Worldwide Quilting Day? It's true!
To celebrate, we here at Lutheran World Relief want to honor our dedicated quilters! Countless women, men and children gather year-round to cut fabric, sew squares, fill and tie Mission quilts that go to communities in need around the world. Time and again we hear - from our partners, and from recipients themselves - what a tremendous difference LWR Mission Quilts make.
In honor of this special day, we'll be celebrating all things LWR Quilting from March 10 -17 on social media, especially on the LWR Facebook page. Here are some ways you can join in the fun, and celebrate your local quilting ministry.
Shout out your congregation's Very Important Quilters (VIQs)
Announce you are an LWR Quilter with this Facebook profile photo frame
Let everyone on your friends list know you are an LWR Quilter! Install this frame on top of your profile picture and let others know about your passion for reaching out to people living in poverty around the world through LWR Mission Quilts.
Here is how to install the profile picture:
On desktop:
- Make sure you like our page, Lutheran World Relief, in order for the remainder of the instructions to work!
- Go to www.facebook.com/profilepicframes.
- In the left menu, scroll until you see the "Lutheran World Relief - National Quilting Day" picture frame.
- Click "Use as Profile Picture" to save.
On mobile:
- Make sure you like our page, Lutheran World Relief, in order for the remainder of the instructions to work!
- Go to your profile. Tap the "edit" symbol on your profile picture.
- Choose "Add Frame."
- Scroll to the section called "Frames From Pages You Like." Scroll until you see the above frame, and choose it. You'll see a preview of your profile picture with the frame.
- If everything looks good, click the "Use" link in the upper right corner to install the frame, so everyone can see it!
Use Thrivent Action Team Funds to host a quilt demonstration
Invite your congregation or community inside the process of making an LWR Mission Quilt by hosting a quilting demonstration/quilt-making event on March 17. If you have Thrivent Financial members in your group, apply for a Thrivent Action Team grant to support your event. Some ideas for how to use the grant:
- Purchase a few bags of LWR Farmers Market Coffee to share with attendees!
- Purchase extra batting to have on hand for your event.
- Since National Quilting Day is also St. Patrick's Day, celebrate with a lunch for volunteers of corned beef, cabbage and soda bread!
On March 17, we'll be broadcasting live from Salem Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland, where the quilting group there has put together a community event with the support of Thrivent Action Team funds. If you're in driving distance, join us! Or tune in to our Facebook page between 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST to check out this great event.
Host a quilter appreciation coffee hour after Sunday service
Show gratitude to the quilters in your midst by designating your March 18 coffee or fellowship hour for quilter appreciation. Provide a few special treats, and invite members to say a few words about your treasured quilters. You can even set out a collection jar for donations to LWR's Quilt & Kit Shipping Fund to help their gifts of love reach people who need them.
Show your congregation where LWR Mission Quilts go
On Sunday, March 18, during education time, host a screening of "How do LWR Quilts & Kits get from the U.S. to the places they're needed?" This 13-minute long video chronicles how LWR Quilts go from congregations like yours to communities around the world. This video is a great conversation starter and way to show the tremendous global impact of your quilting ministry.
https://youtu.be/zz_6djYsAgo
