Mission Stitchers

The Mission Stitchers, who make quilts, pillowcase dresses, and boys' shorts for Orphan Grain Train, have been honored as Mission of the Month, including October 2023 and August 2025. In March 2026 they were again the Mission of the Month in connection with a 'Tie a Knot' quilt-tying event for Orphan Grain Train.

Former members Judy Burgette and Betty Klug donated fabric, quilt tops, dresses, and notions, brought back from Virginia by Diane Braun; most projects go to Orphan Grain Train, with dresses to the Christmas Child shoebox ministry. The Stitchers organized the donation by color and type.

Diane Braun, Nancy Flicek, Sara Hilmer, and Marge Ziegler filled two vehicles delivering Mission Stitchers items to the Orphan Grain Train warehouse in Millersville, MD: 60 quilts, 316 pillowcase dresses, 41 boys' shorts, 23 baby blankets, 23 market cloths, and 668 pairs of underwear. The June 11 trip followed a June 8-9 sanctuary blessing of the items.

Tom O'Farrell built a rolling cart to hold 5 to 6 sewing machines for the Mission Stitchers, replacing the need to wrestle heavy machines from a closet shelf.

The LWML Chesapeake Breeze published an article by Sara Hilmer and a color photo of the Mission Stitchers and their quilts displayed in the church.

A generous donation of flower-print cotton fabric was left anonymously with a note and divided into kits for dresses the Mission Stitchers make for Orphan Grain Train and Operation Christmas Child, as well as quilts.

On their Thursday 9am-noon schedule the Mission Stitchers make quilts, pillowcase dresses, boys' shorts, baby blankets, and market cloths donated to Orphan Grain Train for those in need in the U.S. and globally, with dresses also going to Operation Christmas Child. Quilts have been displayed in the Welcome Center.

Orphan Grain Train's Maryland branch made its final payment on the warehouse it built seven years earlier, having raised over $600,000 for construction plus a $332,000 interest-free mortgage from OGT headquarters.