Threads of Kindness

by Sydney Goodreau

In the basement of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, the steady hum of sewing machines mixes with laughter and conversation as a group of local women assemble brightly coloured quilts destined for some of the world’s most overlooked workers: seafarers.

Every Tuesday, the Faith Sewing Group gathers around tables piled high with patterned fabric, cutting squares, stitching layers, and piecing together quilts that will travel far beyond their community. What began as a small act of service has grown into a mission rooted in compassion; one that brings warmth, comfort, and connection to the mariners who keep global trade moving.

In November, that mission reached another milestone. Pastor Dan Phannenhour and Alicia Hamming Navarrete from Mission to Seafarers Southern Ontario (MTSSO) arrived to pick up 135 newly crafted quilts, each one handmade by the women over the past year. The gifts will be delivered to crews arriving in Hamilton’s harbour, many of whom face long, isolated stretches at sea and harsh Canadian winters.

“The quilts are just the right size for the bed they have in their cabin, sort of like a dorm room,” says Pastor Dan. “And they use them in the bridge, way up high in the ship where there’s lots of wind.”

Gifting quilts is one of the ways that the Mission shows seafarers that there are people thinking about them, that they’re appreciated. When Pastor Dan contacted the Faith Sewing Group about donating quilts back in 2019, they were delighted to be a part of MTSSO’s ministry. 

The Faith Sewing Group was originally founded in 2009 by two women, Liz and Pat. 

“It began with a donation of fleece to the Clothing depot that was run by the church,” says Liz. The church didn’t know what to do with the fleece at first. That is, until they found out that the Canadian Lutheran World Relief collected blankets. 

The donated fleece was the perfect material to make blankets. When the fleece was gone, they used fabric from old clothes from the clothing depot to make even more. Each time a need came along, it was provided for and so they continued the sewing group. 

A single quilt can take up to 24 hours to make. This includes cutting the fabric squares, sewing, adding the batting, and placing the final finishing touches. Since the quilters meet weekly and average about 3 hours of work, one quilt can take about 2 months to make!

Over the years, the group kept growing as more women joined in. 

“Tuesday is a special day,” expressed Donna, who joined the group after seeing an ad in the newspaper. Every week, she brings a suitcase full of projects she’s working on. The suitcase fits four quilts in it.

Inga is a founding member and has been part of the sewing group since day one. “I enjoy the company. We can solve any problem together,” she says.

Some members, like Rita, Shirley, Dorothy, and Christine, love to sew and work hands-on making the quilts. Others, like Jean and Anne, don’t know how to sew but pitch in wherever they can. But they all value the social connection the group offers, and the sense of fellowship that comes with it. As they cut and sew, the women talk about their faith and share stories. They’ve grown close over the years, supporting one another through both the highs and the lows. 

Once they became more established, the group started applying for grants. With the first grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation they were able to purchase 13 sewing machines and A/C units for the church basement. That was just the beginning. Over the past 15 years, the group has received more than $50,000 in support from local foundations. 

A turning point came, however, in 2019 when Canadian Lutheran World Relief could no longer collect their blankets due to the cost of shipping. Liz called a meeting at her house with the group to discuss next steps for the sewing group. The future of their close-knit sewing group was uncertain. It was during that meeting when Pastor Dan Phannenhour called Liz, asking if the group would be willing to donate quilts for the seafarers. 

It was an answer to prayer for the group. They had a new purpose! 

The sewing group liked the fact that the Mission to Seafarers is a local group. They also loved the story of MTSSO and meeting the needs of isolated and forgotten people such as the seafarers. Thus began the incredible relationship between the Faith Sewing Group and MTSSO. 

Since 2019, the Faith Sewing Group has donated their quilts to their local retirement home, SPCA, local homeless shelters, and to the Pregnancy Care Centre. However, MTSSO is their first priority and receives the largest donation. Hundreds of quilts have been donated and gifted to ships visiting the Port of Hamilton. For some seafarers, simply knowing that there are people thinking of them during the Christmas season is a gift. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to finding ways to support seafarers. Using our God-given gifts to offer care for those visiting our shores—seafarers who often go overlooked—is what the Mission is all about.