Sincere Lutheran women have been making quilts for many, many years; a few women at Redeemer met in 1998 and started making quilts.  Our purpose and mission was to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief.  That is still our primary mission and our quilts since that time have been sent all over the world.  We have, however, discovered that we have a real need for quilts for the needy in the Augusta area and we have given to many organizations locally.  I will list a few and if I have left some out, please let me know so they can get the credit they deserve. I am sure I will have forgotten to name some of them.
    Lutheran World Relief, CMONA Ministries, Hope Homes in North Augusta, Salvations Army, Ridgeview Baptist Church in North Augusta, Nurture Home Aiken Abuse Center
Safe House for abused persons in Augusta, Several Nursing Homes in the area. 
Community Ministries in North Augusta, Linus Project of Warren Baptist Church,
Youth Group in Kiambu, Kenya Africa

   In addition we have made about two dozen isolette covers for the newborn nursery at University Hospital here in Augusta plus some women helped Ruthie Brannon with costumes. 

2007 ACTIVITIES

The Quilters meet every Tuesday from 9:00 AM until 12:00 noon. we usually have anywhere from 10 to 15 ladies. Although our  purpose and mission was to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief, we also have donated quilts to several local charities. Recently we sent 20 quilts to Deland, Florida in support of the tornado victims. On Sunday, February 18th, we had 60 quilts displayed on the backs of the pews in the Sanctuary. Any one who would like any further information, please contact Ruth Reynolds at 803-279-1006.

2004 ACTIVITIES

   We are working on a special project now that we hope will be used as a wall hanging in the Fellowship hall.  Mary Fleiss donated some beautiful hand sewn squares and we are all quilting on it and hope to have it finished by Jan of 2005.  We also gave three quilts to a Redeemer member to aid him in his missionary efforts in China. We have recently donated several quilts for needy members of our congregation and gave one to the youth group as a fund raiser. 

   Our efforts are greatly aided by Laurie McRae and Phoebe Rice.  These ladies are local interior decorators and they donate all their outdated fabrics and they make up into beautiful quilts. Also, we thank Joe Manderini, manager of Rich's Furniture as he gives us upholstery samples that we make into quilts.  The members of Redeemer have been generous with their monetary donations, as has Thrivent and the LWML.  We continue to need all their unused fabric and old sheets; we use them for batting and quilt tops instead of buying new batting.  We continue to need their support so that we can carry on the traditions of Lutheran Women Quilting.

   This past year one of our faithful members, Henrietta Avrett, went to quilt with the angels and we really miss her.  All of our quilters are unique in what they contribute to the group.  Val Wittke makes beautiful baby quilts and loves to cut squares and Wanda Gattman produces volumes of quilts.  Ruth Nolde is helpful at producing all of the labels for our quilts. I could go on and on with all the skills of the various members, but it is a labor of love and we all enjoy doing it.   I have forgotten to mention one special member and that is Pastor Roehrs.  He stops by weekly with encouragement and greetings.   He always seems to know when we have some super goodies for snacks. We really enjoy his visits. 

   Members come and go and you are always welcome even if you can only come and help a time or two.  We will teach anyone interested in how to make patchwork quilts.  We meet every Tuesday Morning at nine to twelve in room 309 at the church.

    Last year, 2003, we produced and delivered over 250 quilts to Lutheran World Relief and other agencies as we listed above. 

    We all thank the Lord that he has given us all a love of sewing and that we can use that talent in serving Him.
                                                                                                                     
History contributed by Wanda Drose