by Ann Yoder
Women’s groups formed early in our church’s history, and have been known by many names: Ladies’ Aid Society, Young Matrons, Women’s Foreign Missionary Society, Women’s Home Missionary Society, Women’s Society of Christian Service, Wesleyan Service Guild and at present United Methodist Women.
Supporting missions has been of prime importance to the women in these organizations and extensive fundraising activities have been directed to this end. Eunice Porter was sent as a missionary to India and Grace Banner Shawhan to China. More recently, UMW has helped our church support Jim and Doris Long in their Mexico mission, Red Bird Mission in Kentucky and McCurdy School in New Mexico.
Women’s service involvement in the church’s activities include serving the funerals and many other responsibilities. A noteworthy event sponsored by the UMW is the Holiday Fair. Since its inception in 1963, it has featured thousands of handcrafted items, accompanied by the annual brunch. Prior to 1963, events of similar style and scope were also held but under different names.
In the 1930’s the Ladies assisted the Men’s group with the annual “Game Dinner”. The men contributed their hunting successes, the women prepared the tables and most of the meal while the wild game was cooked by a restaurant. “At one annual event we had elk, venison and bear on the menu. The restaurant cooked all together and it was difficult to tell the bear from the high-jumping bacon [venison]. “
Stay tuned for more Heart of Longmont UMC history!
