United Church Women
United Church Women
Women’s groups have been a vital part of the United Church of Canada since its inception. The formal purpose of UCW is to unite women for the mission of the Church and to provide a medium by which they may express their loyalty and devotion to God through Christian witness, study, fellowship and service. In the year 2012 the United Church Women celebrated 50 years of activities in Canada.
Carlisle’s UCW group likes to call themselves “Friends of United Church Women”, in recognition that not all are members of our local Church and their emphasis is most strongly on fellowship and service.
Our UCW group includes several dozen women ranging in age from their forties to their nineties, from many backgrounds and circumstances. They are united in the common cause of fund-raising for local charitable organizations. Every year they generously support causes such as the Flamborough Red Cross, Inasmuch House, the Flamborough Food Bank, Drummond House, as well as Carlisle United Church. Far more than just money, they contribute with hearts and hands to collect needed clothing, to make crafts for sale and to prepare food for events and the annual Bazaar.
The activities of the Women are varied and usually sparked from within the group by recognition of a local need. The group has gathered shoeboxes full of little gifts for distribution by the local Mission Services. They have contributed beautiful quilts to Drummond House and to the Cares and Shares food drive. They have lovingly prepared crafts for Interval House, for the Church’s annual Mitten Tree and for the Wesley Urban Ministries Christmas Store. They have skillfully shopped for the needs of a local family in the Flamborough Food Bank’s annual Secret Santa campaign. Any member can bring the spark that leads to a new project and all bring their own skills, interests and helping hands.
The Women’s group shares fun and fellowship with busy hands. They meet on Wednesday mornings at Carlisle United Church. The quilting group also meets Tuesdays. There is always laughter and conversation, teasing and compassion. Chat may be about families, health, world news or local events. Some people come to work, some come to chat, some manage to accomplish both. Everyone brings their own strengths, skills and experiences. The fall season, leading up the annual Bazaar, means busy kitchen bees to prepare produce or pies for the freezer and many hands make light work. New members with similar interests are always welcomed.
You can support Carlisle’s Women by:
- Participating in the annual Church Bazaar in November. Drop by for coffee or lunch, buy hand-crafted Christmas cakes and puddings, pies, cabbage rolls and other deli treats, jams and jellies, baking, gifts and ornaments. Donate things for the kids table, the silent auction or the penny sale.
- Donating clothing which can be offered to the Good Shepherd Centre, Interval House and other local not-for-profit organizations
- Purchasing frozen pies at any time of year
- Contributing craft supplies, yarn and wool, quilt cloth
- Engaging the services of the group for custom quilting or for catering an event at the Church
- Contributing helping hands for funeral teas or for kitchen bees
For more information, contact Judy Parkin at 905-689-8867.
