The beginning of the year was a return to work for the women of Huntington UMC. Their Loose Threads ministry reconvened Jan. 6. Sewing machines were humming, pumping out blankets for adoptions in the area. Church members were also assembling birthday surprise boxes for foster children, a new ministry that started in the spring.
Hunting United Methodist Church is a part of the Texas Annual Conference.
Sandy Sheffield is one of the original eight members of Loose Threads ministry. “I’m one of the instigators,” she said with a laugh.
It all started with a newscast. One of the local stations covered a Tyler resident who would sew clothes for stillborn infants or those who died not long after birth.
“That touched me,” Sheffield said. “I contacted her, and we worked together for a while.”
Loose Threads was born, but its mission pivoted after learning about children in Child Protective Services, who often have to leave in a rush. “These children come out of their homes with literally nothing,” Sheffield said. “We just couldn’t have that.”
Loose Threads began making clothes and bags for the youth. “And that morphed into adoption blankets about five years ago,” Sheffield explained.
CPS asked members of the ministry if they would consider making blankets for National Adoption month in November. “We thought, ‘Sure. Why not?’” Sheffield recalled.
When the month passed, blanket production continued. The women in Loose Threads did not want any of the children to go empty handed.
“Now we make about 200 blankets a year,” Sheffield said. “And we get a list about every two weeks.’
Loose Threads sews blankets and pillows, each monogramed with the child’s name and date of adoption. “It’s for every child in East Texas, from Texarkana to Beaumont,” Sheffield added.
Once blankets are created for each child, they are bundled up and given to a CPS coordinator to distribute.
The ministry also makes clothing protectors for the Lufkin State Supported Living Center. If residents need any clothing repairs, the members of the group step up.
“We were honored to be one of seven groups in the state to be recognized as ‘Volunteers of the Year’ in 2015,” Sheffield said.
The women meet once a week at Huntington UMC. “All of our sewing machines were donated,” Sheffield said. “All we have to do is show up. A couple women who don’t sew iron or cut fabric. We all stay busy.”
She explained that during the pandemic, church members had to stop meeting for a couple of months. But that did not mean they weren’t still sewing. Women would stop by the church to pick up supplies and work from home.
“After we were able to get the vaccine, we went back to business as usual,” Sheffield said. “Now, we have a big inventory of blankets.”
Loose Threads already has six adoptions to celebrate. “We’ve got something to keep us busy now that we are back,” Sheffield said. “We’re also going to start putting together the birthday boxes.”
The ministry has been going strong now for about a dozen years, she added. “We’ve been at this for a while, and we enjoy it,” she said.
“I love children, and I just see this as a way I can help out,” Sheffield added. “We can’t sit there and not do anything. There are children out there who need us.”
excerpt from a story by Lindsay Peyton, Texas Annual Conference
This story represents how United Methodist local churches through their Annual Conferences are living as Vital Congregations. A vital congregation is the body of Christ making and engaging disciples for the transformation of the world. Vital congregations are shaped by and witnessed through four focus areas: calling and shaping principled Christian leaders; creating and sustaining new places for new people; ministries with poor people and communities; and abundant health for all.
