“Whatever you do for the least of these . . . you did for me.”

The well-known passage from Matthew 25 was the theme for the women of our church, and friends, who took part in this year’s Dress-a-Girl Around the World mission.

The passage was on the banner displayed in front of the sanctuary and the passage was a central point of the blessing delivered by coordinator Judith Hill on Saturday, March 2, when the women gathered to bless the dresses they had created.

For four Saturdays in February, the women gathered with their sewing machines in the Sunshine Room and stitched together 346 dresses to be delivered to young girls living in poverty around the world.

Our women began this mission in 2016, and in the nine years since, they have finished 2,883 dresses with loving care.

For the blessing, this year’s dresses were neatly folded in front of the altar and the women sat across them while Judith expressed her blessing:

“May God’s grace be upon these dresses, warming, comforting, enfolding, and embracing. May these dresses be a safe haven, a garment of security and well-being, sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones. May the one who receives one of these dresses be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.”

Following the blessing, all the women responded, “May it be so”.

The group was then asked why they came to the church every Saturday morning to sew. The responses included:

+++ “Fellowship, learning, just to get out of the house.”

+++ “To help little girls. Even if I make just one dress, it’s for that girl.”

+++ “I have two granddaughters of color and realize many young girls of color don’t have what my granddaughters have.”

+++ My husband passed away 5 1/2 years ago and during those difficult times it was all about me. I came across what this group does in a magazine and I thought I wanted to be involved. This is being able to do something for someone else.”

+++ “I’m a recent widow and I wanted to be with people doing something for others.”

Judith went on to say about the Saturday mornings together, “It was joining together in friendship. We saw something special, how God gives un unconditional love and this is how we can give some back. It’s a wonderful feeling to see this organized chaos and see how it pays off.”

After the blessing, Judith presented each of the women with roses. The dresses were then folded and placed in suitcases for delivery around the world.

While many of the women came from our church — Judith, Linda Webster, Linda Wakefield, Linda Greer, Deanne Burr, Lili Acheson, and Jean Meyer — others came from surrounding communities and some from as far away as Lewiston and Hermon. And Judith announced for next year, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Windham would like to be involved.

The Dress-a-Girl mission at our church is alive and well!!