GORE BAY—The sanctuary at Lyons Memorial United Church in Gore Bay was filled with members of various United Church Women (UCW) units from across the Island last Wednesday, there to resurrect a tradition of meeting annually in the spirit of being the “hands and feet” of the church.
According to the United Church of Canada website, “In 1962 the UCW was created as the successor to the Woman’s Missionary Society, a world mission-oriented service and study group that supported almost 100 active missionaries around the world. The Woman’s Association (WA), at that time, focused on work in the local church and community. Guilds and Ladies’ Aids were the WA’s forerunners. In the early years, these units went unrecorded, just doing what needed to be done, spiritually, financially and socially.”
The Canadian social fabric is undoubtedly changing, and so are the demographics that make up Canada’s largest protestant denomination. Upon its inception in 1962, there were over 300,000 UCW charter members. That number has dwindled significantly due to church, and UCW unit, closures.
Maureen Armstrong and Heather Patterson, both members of the Lyons Memorial UCW, decided to take on bringing back the sense of community the UCW holds so dear after a prompt from Mindemoya’s Trinity United UCW.
“Welcome to, we hope, our first annual UCW fall meeting,” Ms. Armstrong said to the women, both UCW members and “friends of,” gathered in the sanctuary. She noted there were women from Silver Water, Gore Bay, Mindemoya, Kagawong, Little Current, Sheguiandah, Manitowaning and even Flesherton and the Eastern Townships in Quebec.
“Hopefully, this will be the start of getting us back together, especially as some church’s UCWs have disbanded,” Ms. Armstrong added.
The meeting began with the reading of the UCW mission statement—“to love God; foster Christian commitment, faithfulness and spirituality; and promote respect and love for all God’s creation”—followed by devotions offered by Judy Land who was Zooming in from her summer home in the Eastern Townships.
Ms. Land presented an overarching land acknowledgment that focused on the importance of mending relations with Indigenous neighbours.
Following scripture readings by Kathy Mutch, Ms. Land returned to the screen for a reflection on the significance of the meeting being held at this time of year, one of new beginnings be it school, UCW meetings or volunteerism in general. She said there is much to learn from our friends in Kindergarten, basic tenets that serve us well throughout life, such as share everything, don’t hit people, don’t take anything that is not yours, say sorry, wash your hands and if you’re heading out into the busy street, hold hands, to name but a few.
“No matter how old, how new, if we’re first generation Canadians or seventh generation Canadians, it’s best to go out into the world and hold hands and stick together,” Ms. Land said.
The women then sang ‘It Only Takes a Spark,’ accompanied by Ms. Armstrong on organ.
Dawn Monroe gave greetings via Zoom from UCW regional council and national council in her capacity as past president of the Canadian Shield UCW.
Ms. Armstrong gave a brief history of the UCW leading to its formation in 1962. In 1925, when the United Church of Canada was formed, there were two women’s groups: The Women’s Association and the Women’s Missionary Society. In 1953 a committee was struck by the United Church to study the work of women in the church. By 1960, the findings were released and it was decided that all women would work to the same common goal of the church. It was at this same time that women were included in church boards, too.
“Times are changing quickly in our world, but the resolve of women continues,” Ms. Armstrong said. “We have today called it ‘UCW and friends’ because we couldn’t do it without friends. We’re celebrating those storied women before us and our friends today.”
Ms. Monroe also shared with the group that if one’s UCW has disbanded, there is still a way to be a UCW member associated with the Canadian Shield UCW. The cost is just $7 a year and members will get national newsletters as well as any regional ones.
The women then retired to the hall for a potluck lunch and camaraderie.
Elsie Christian of Trinity United said the UCW was always part of her life and was thankful that, as a family that moved a lot, she could always count on her new community’s UCW to be a guiding light in her new surroundings.
Gail Cronin of the former Sheguiandah UCW said she recalled going to meetings at her aunt’s house in Bobcaygeon with her mother from a young age and always looked forward to the delicious lunches that would be served. A highlight of the year was the popular UCW food booth at the Bobcaygeon fair.
Marian Sloss of Mindemoya too recalled the lunches from her childhood when she also attended meetings with her mother.
Mary White, now of Providence Bay, had her start at the Sheguiandah UCW and recalled the women getting together and creating a fundraising cookbook. She also noted the popular turkey dinners and strawberry suppers held by the UCW. Ms. Cronin noted that the annual cattle auction in Little Current had its canteen organized by the Sheguiandah UCW.
Katie Brown told the group that, while not a UCW member, her fondest memories of the UCW are how welcoming they have always been.
Jane Pummel shared the story of a meeting 35 years ago at her Barrie Island cottage. “Sheila Slomke and Bernadette Walker drove their huge car down my laneway and got stuck,” she recalled, shaking her head. “All the UCW got together and pushed them out. I expected maybe 10 for the meeting but got 40. The road was just jammed with these ladies that didn’t turn around very well,” she added to chuckles from the group.
Following a potluck lunch, the women were treated to a guest presentation from Noojmowin Teg on the mobile wellness van. The audience had plenty of questions for the team and the presentation was well received.
