Stitching Hope

It is hard to imagine that the Quilt Ministry has crafted and donated over 300 quilts over the last 10 years with a skeletal crew of fewer than 10 individuals! This was only made possible through the countless hours committed by its members, church budgetary resources to cover the cost of batting, and the generous donations of hundreds of yards of fabric, sewing machines, quilting equipment and other supplies by members of our own congregation. Other past recipients of our quilts include Respite, Shepherd's Fold, Latisha's House, FISH, 3eRestoration, Merrimac Center (for juvenile offenders), and over 30 homeless individuals.

by Josh Clayton on January 08, 2024

It is hard to imagine that the Quilt Ministry has crafted and donated over 300 quilts over the last 10 years with a skeletal crew of fewer than 10 individuals!

This was only made possible through the countless hours committed by its members, church budgetary resources to cover the cost of batting, and the generous donations of hundreds of yards of fabric, sewing machines, quilting equipment and other supplies by members of our own congregation. Other past recipients of our quilts include Respite, Shepherd's Fold, Latisha's House, FISH, 3eRestoration, Merrimac Center (for juvenile offenders), and over 30 homeless individuals.

2023 Ministry Highlights:

27 quilts, with 12 more in progress, were made for the children and youth in transition at United Methodist Family Services in Richmond.
23 quilts were made and delivered to children served by Avalon, the local shelter serving those who have suffered domestic abuse.
An All Saints communion tablecloth was made from the clothing of loved ones who have passed on.
The decorative doves that graced the sanctuary's side windows during the Epiphany season were made by our Ministry team.
We raised over $1800 for deserving local outreach organizations through the sale of diverse handcrafts.

If you are interested in joining this fun-loving and committed group, please contact Carol Schuster at

About the Author

Josh Clayton

Josh Clayton, a fixture around the church as Pastor Meghan's husband, recently joined the staff himself so his creative talents could further WUMC's mission. Meghan and Josh met across the street at William & Mary (as Josh's parents did before them!) and they love raising their son James in Williamsburg in the hopes of indoctrinating him to also choose the Green and Gold. Josh's favorite thing to do in town is play pickleball! There is a large pickleball community at WUMC and in Williamsburg in general. You can find Josh at Veterans Park early weekday mornings playing, no matter the temperature. Come out and play! Josh loves playing new people (mostly because they are unfamiliar with the spin he puts on the ball).

As Digital Media Specialist Josh is in charge of live streaming worship, creating and posting content to the church's social media pages, video production, the weekly e-newsletter, and graphic design. A filmmaker and writer with an MFA in Film and Television and a BA in English, Josh has always been interested in story no matter the medium. His favorite author Eudora Welty said that story is the continuous thread of revelation. Josh uses his spiritual gift of interpretation, a revelatory gift, to explain and expound the church's message through shot design, sequence, and graphics. His purpose is to communicate with nuance (and a little humor) to those who frequent the church and those who engage from afar.