Women's Ministries
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The third and fourth decades of the 20th century at Central Church of Christ proceeded with a potpourri of women's groups before settling down in the 1940's to a fairly stable number. The Women's Missionary Society, the Social Helpers, Young Women's Mission Circle, and the Triangle Club were all carry-overs from the preceding decade. This new era gave birth to such organizations as the Mothers Club, Bertha Park Circle, Mission Study Class, Missionary Reading or Study Club, Women's Council, Young Matrons Group, Preschool Mothers Study Group, Margaret Kennedy Circle, New Triangle Club, and Missionary Guild. Most of these groups were either spin-offs of previous organizations, reorganized versions, or simply the result of name changes.
We assume that the Women's Missionary Society was in full accord with the purposes of the state organization, the Illinois Christian Women's Missionary Society, although minutes are not available. One such purpose, as expressed at the convention held in Decatur in 1921, was to raise $10,000 for a steamer in the Congo. This amount was secured by the next convention a year later, and the Steamer Illinois was made available for use in the upper Congo by missionaries, 14 of whom were from Illinois. Members of the Women's Missionary Society demonstrated much devotion and sacrifice, bringing such countries as India, China, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Mexico, and Africa into their circle of prayers and gifts. The group at Central had a living link in Lotumba, Africa, in the early twenties, with a missionary budget of approximately $2,500. A part of their work included home missions also, and they were generous with the aged in the Jacksonville Home, especially at Christmas time. The Women's Missionary Society continued to be active for many years, and in 1934 there were some combined meetings with the Society Helpers. It should be noted that Mrs. Stella Peck of Central was state secretary from 1935 to 1948.
Also a part of the Illinois Christian Women's Missionary Society, the Young Women's Mission Circle was dedicated to the furtherance of foreign missions. As an example, they pledged and secured 50 dollars for the Steamer Illinois. As an interesting aside, each girl contributed a dime in order to place World Call in the YWCA for a year. This organization had four divisions and at one time had an interesting "point system" by which each girl was graded on her presence, offering, and Bible reading. In an effort to secure more interest in the meetings they also utilized the ever-popular "calling campaign" to try to augment their numbers. In 1928, when the first World Fellowship Meeting was held, Guilds came into being. The Young Women's Mission Circle of Central became known as the Missionary Guild, the second in the state to organize as such. Members were young matrons and business women. Their evening meetings included scripture lessons, book reports, lectures, prayers, panel discussions, playlets, and music. One playlet, performed in 1935, was written using Mr. Shionaya, pastor of a church in Akita, Japan, and his family as the characters. The actresses wore beautiful Japanese costumes, and according to the minutes, it was a memorable production. One project of this group was sending articles to China -namely, sweaters and woolen cloth. The Guild participated in home missions as well as foreign and for many years provided much support to the "colored" children of the Southern Christian Institute at Edwards, Mississippi, where individual Christmas gifts were sent yearly. The Guild, as did all the women's groups, enjoyed picnics, wiener roasts, and potlucks. The loyalty within the Guild is obvious by the fact that several of its members are still active in the present Missionary Guild.
Two adult, missionary study groups also existed during part of this era. Both the Mission Study Class and the Missionary Reading or Study Club were at one time or another on the church calendar.
The Triangle Club was composed of girls of the intermediate and senior departments of the Sunday School. It was associated with the Illinois Christian Women's Society. In 1928 its name was changed to the Bertha Park Circle in honor of Mrs. Park, a missionary to China at that time. Then in 1931, the group was reorganized as the New Triangle Club but evidently was discontinued soon afterwards, as were many other Triangle Clubs in the state.
The Mothers Club was on the church calendar from 1928 to 1934. One project of the club was to have children from the Anne Rutledge Home as guests with their own children. Donations of food and both old and new clothing were made to this institution. Such topics as your child and his morals and the fears of childhood were discussed. The Preschool Mothers Club was established in November 1941, but soon disappeared from the church calendar.
The Social Helpers was a very viable organization at Central, beginning around the turn of the century and continuing until 1938. In the 1920's and 1930's, it was known to have 11 divisions. Monthly general meetings were usually held on a Friday with reports from the various groups. Each meeting opened with members repeating the Lord's Prayer and closed with the well-known quotation from Genesis, "The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another." Dues were ten cents a month. These devoted women put much emphasis on helping Central and the community. They were social helpers! They hemmed table linen, sewed carpet rags, supplied garden flowers for church services, and gathered old clothes for the church's needy. A "house" committee redecorated the church parlor, dining room, secretary's office, pastor's study, and the parsonage. Every Wednesday was spent quilting all day, and, of course, this included a potluck. A partial list of their good deeds for the community follows: gave to the Community Chest, mended garments for the Girls Welfare Home, made spreads for doll beds made by the Decatur firemen, mended for the Boys Opportunity Home, made layettes for the county nurse to distribute, and made dresses and dresser scarves for the Community Store. They also made apple butter to send to the Home for the Aged in Jacksonville, and took fruit there and to the St. Louis Home. The list goes on ad infinitum.
By late 1937 or early 1938, the Women's Missionary Society and the Social Helpers had become one. The name Women's Council was adopted, and it became the instrument of the Illinois Christian Women's Missionary Society and consequently the United Christian Missionary Society (national), as well as the social conscience for the church and community.
One comparatively short-lived organization was the Young Matrons, existing from 1940 to 1951. Members were the young married women of the congregation. One of their many projects was that of sewing at Decatur and Macon County Hospital. They were also able to buy a much-needed electric refrigerator for the church kitchen in 1949. This was no small endeavor and was appreciated and enjoyed by everyone.
The Margaret Kennedy Circle for business girls was founded in 1945 with its stated purpose that of furthering the missionary endeavor of the Disciples of Christ. Their devotion to Margaret Kennedy Cherryhomes, their living link in China along with her husband George, was constant and very supportive. Many letters were written back and forth, and gifts were sent to aid the Cherryhomes and their cause. Margaret herself was a guest at one of the Circle meetings in 1946 where she showed movies pertaining to her life. The members of this group were very interested in studying about foreign countries. Quite often they invited speakers to their meetings who were conversant about the countries under study. This group also contributed food baskets for the needy and made bandages for the American Cancer Society, just to mention a couple of their worthwhile undertakings. They also enjoyed wiener roasts, Halloween parties, potlucks and other activities.
In the middle and late 1940's, the Women's Council encompassed all the women of the church and was divided into seven parts. There were four districts based on a geographical basis; as well as the Missionary Guild, made up of employed women and others who could not leave their families during the day; the Young Matrons; and the Margaret Kennedy Circle, the younger employed girls. The Women's Council served the local church in preparing suppers, caring for the kitchen, placing flowers on the pulpit every Sunday, and in many other ways. The whole group shared in the support of Margaret Cherryhomes, and other missionary objectives.
Obviously, money-making projects were necessary to assist in the comprehensive program undertaken by the women's organizations at Central. Ingenuity and imagination were not amiss during this era either. The Missionary Guild served dinners for the Business and Professional Women's Club, sold jello, and had birthday offerings at each meeting. Rummage sales, Wednesday night suppers (with a charge of twenty-five cents), and the selling of old gold and rug cleaner were just a few of the endeavors promoted by the Social Helpers. The Mothers Club sponsored a cookbook in 1934. The young women of the Margaret Kennedy Circle babysat, held white elephant auctions at their meetings, and sold nylon scouring pads. These lists are not intended to be complete, but only representative of projects carried out by all of the groups.
Women at Central also took an active part in the Macon County Missionary Society. This organization disbanded for awhile during World War II, but later reorganized as the Bi-County Missionary Society. Central's members were represented in the Women's Council of Decatur and Macon County, organized in 1910, and the Decatur Council of Church Women, organized in 1935. The latter was originally called the Federation of Church Women.
By the end of World War II, it was evident to many in the national United Christian Missionary Society that study subjects other than missions would be relevant and worthwhile. Peace and race relations were just two such subjects. Also it was hoped that ladies aids and missionary societies could be brought closer together. Through the years the differing interests of women had brought about a variety of organizations. Many times their work was directed through one organization, but the diversity of names in itself was conducive to lack of unity. So in January 1948, seventy-five women met at Turkey Run State Park to plan for the Christian Women's Fellowship. This would be an organization that would represent the interests of all the women of the church. It seems that Central had already grown closer to this concept than many since the merging of the Women's Missionary Society and the Social Helpers in 1938.
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Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336
email the webmaster at gbarron@cccdisciples.org