Landon Kimball had watched his mother, Linda, become more and more thrilled with her new-found quilting hobby. His desire was to get the ladies of the church together for a weekend quilting retreat. This would be a spiritually uplifting time of sharing, praying and sewing together.
Kimball made the arrangements for renting a retreat center for Saturday night through Monday noon. Supper was served followed by sundown worship with praise songs and a devotional by Linda. Saturday night entertainment was table games and a peek at materials for their quilting projects.
The meals were all planned, prepared and tastefully presented by Kimball for the entire weekend. He enlisted the help of his pastor, Milton Fish, to assist him so that the women didn't have to cook the entire time or wash dishes.
Nancy Groshart from the Glendive Church came and taught the women several things on quilting for the weekend. The first project was to make a table runner for each person out of the materials they had chosen. Then each worked on a section of a quilt that was to be given to the daughter of Jim Johnson, a member of the Plentywood Church who recently passed away. "We wanted her to feel the love from each of us as she would wrap up in her quilt," says Ruth Fish, Montana Conference women's ministries director and quilting retreat participant.
It was fantastic to get together with fellow believers to work on this project. In Hebrews 10:25, it says, "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."
Since that weekend, this little group has been able to make six other quilts, which will be given to the Plentywood nursing home residents. The group goes there each month to have worship services for the residents.
Back row from left: Milton Fish, pastor; Ruth Fish; Nancy Groshart, instructor; and Jewel Rittberger. Front row, from left: Landon Kimball, Linda Kimball and Trisha Mock.
From left: Nancy Groshart, instructor; Ruth Fish; Jewel Rittberger; Linda Kimball; and Trisha Mock.
