After discovering one of their members would be celebrating his 50th year of ordination in May, 2013, Sunday school classes spent six months creating a prayer quilt for Rev. Merv Tubb and his wife Barb. Here, St. Marys minister Rev. Gwen Ament (right) presents the gift to the Tubbs. (Scroll down to read a short article submitted by the congregation describing this joyous labour of love.)
Last year we found out from Barb Tubb that Rev. Merv Tubb would be marking the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a Minister of Word & Sacrament on May 2 of 2013. At one of our Sunday School meetings in the fall, one of our teachers, Bonnie McIntosh, volunteered to help her class make a “prayer quilt” that would be a gift to Merv and Barb on this occasion.
The grade four and five Sunday School class worked very hard on cutting and piecing this quilt. They each chose the pattern of material they would make their cross out of and the colours that would surround it in the quilt. The grade two and three class saw how much fun it was and wanted to join in, so they cut out their own material crosses as well. Then we even needed to bring in a second sewing machine so the children could sew their squares together! See how the colours show the cross.
Everyone got very excited watching the quilt come together over a period of six months. Yes! That is right – we planned and prayed about this for six months!
Finally the pieces were put together and it came time to tie the quilt. Our Sunday School Coordinator, Bessie Hounsell, brought in her quilt frame and one Sunday morning, all the children from ages 3 years up to 15 as well as the teachers gathered round to tie the quilt. As a person would make a tie knot, a pray was offered, sometimes out loud and sometimes silently. In wonder and awe the finished quilt took on life and shape before our very eyes! But it wasn’t yet finished. The binding edge needed to be done and Doris Adams, one of our seniors from the Wildwood Retirement community, was very happy to complete this last stage.
Such a labour of love by so many hands and hearts. And so much prayer and excitement and good wishes in wanting to honour and thank Rev. Merv for his faithful service to God and Barb’s help in all things. Thank you Rev. Merv and Barb, and may God continue to bless many people through you and your ministry.
