For 60 years, the United Church Women chapter of Moose Jaw’s Minto United Church has been doing what it can to support its congregation and help those in the community.
This past Sunday was a time to celebrate, as close to 50 members of the UCW past and present gathered for a special service and lunch at the Minto Church hall.
“It’s very important to the church, to the community and to the members,” said UCW chairwoman Jan Coward. “It’s something we thought would be good because we’ve been in COVID for a couple of years and it’s nice to be able to get together again. As soon as we found out it was the 60th anniversary in 2022, I thought to myself ‘that’s a special occasion for our church’ and this is what we came up with to celebrate. We invited ladies from the different churches, too, and it’s good to see everyone who came out.”
The event included visitors telling stories of their time in the UCW and working with the organization, with folks also able to check out a table filled with memorabilia from over the years.
A special presentation of an angel statue was also made to Vivian Wilson, who has been a member of the UCW since its formation back in 1962.
“She is our angel. She is our angel in UCW and she is our angel in the church. And she is a guiding light. She is a pretty special gal,” Coward told Jason Antonio of the Moose Jaw Express in previewing the event. “She joined when she was a young bride and raised her four children … and did a lot of work with the UCW.”
The celebration also brought in some familiar faces from the past, something that’s always a highlight of such anniversary gatherings.
“There’s one lady and her husband I hadn’t seen see my kids were in high school with her kids,” Coward said. “And it’s always nice to see so many familiar faces, too.”
As things have relaxed as the pandemic wanes, the UCW has been able to once again become more and more active in the community. Its 20-plus members are always on the lookout for fundraising opportunities for the church in addition to their regular outreach programs.
That includes turkey suppers for various organizations, donations to the Salvation Army stocking fund and one of their current projects: a mitten tree that annually gathers warm outerwear to be given to a local charity.
“We collect toques and mittens and every year we give them to a different place and this year it’s the Northwest Daycare, so we’re happy to help that way,” Coward said. “It’s nice to be getting back together, too, the last couple years we haven’t been able to have any fowl suppers or teas, but we have some good faithful gals who have always been supportive and they’re all great.”
The Minto United Church UCW is always searching for new members, and it’s a matter of simply reaching out and contacting the church or any UCW member about how to join.
“We’re always happy to see new people come in and if someone wants to join us, we’re more than happy to have them,” Coward said.
