Stitch ’n Chat: The Sewing Guild
of Germantown Presbyterian Church

by Lucy Cummings

A stitch in time saves nine. When Rev. Michael Krech, the GA delegate from the Presbytery of Memphis, needed to carry our banner in the General Assembly opening worship procession, a mad search netted one banner from the 70’s. The need was clear.

We went straight to the source. Virginia Hughes of the congenial GPC Sewing Guild answered the cry. Within four hours of the request, the Guild had decided to take over and produced the banner within a week, working with nothing more than a very rough design idea and a scripture. On a field of cream, a pair of dimensional, blue fabric rivers flow from each side, meeting to underscore a verse from Isaiah “. . . there in majesty the Lord will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams.” A satin rendering of the PC(USA) symbol rests under the embroidered presbytery’s name.

Leigh Miller and Cheryl Roach selected the design elements with the geographical setting of the presbytery in mind. The Presbytery of Memphis serves the bootheel of Missouri, eastern Arkansas, and west Tennessee—locating our churches within and around the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. Working with Virginia, Cheryl, and Leigh were Phyllis Kelley and Susie Lyle—all supremely talented Presbyterian Women.

The Guild answers other prayers and cries for help, too, says Roach, GPC Guild chairwoman. Since early 2002, they, along with other Guild members, have completed other projects:

• Mastectomy pillows for Baptist East Hospital
• Walker bags for the Church Health Center and nursing homes
• Pillow Buddy dolls for Child Advocacy Program
• Baby dolls, American Girl size dolls, and Barbie dolls to Germantown’s youth group with Project Outreach for Christmas 2002
• Made 2 extra long flannel quilts for GPC youth auction (were auctioned off to raise money for youth mission trip)

The main project for 2003 is to produce dozens of fleece and mitten/scarves sets for Perea Preschool.

The Guild was part of a recent GPC mission fair and welcomes anyone who can use scissors. Future plans include teaching young girls the joy of sewing. These women are clearly called to ministry— making stitches just in time.