Women's Ministries
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The founding of the Christian Women's Fellowship (CWF) at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century was seen as an auspicious start for many wonderful and challenging days ahead. The overall plan was to include three departments: worship, study, and service. CWF workshops in Illinois began in the early 1950's to help the women solve problems of reorganization. For instance, some felt that with a restructuring and inclusion of other interests that their missionary efforts might be lost. Help was also needed to suggest service projects and ideas for devotions at meetings.
The Women's Council at Central accepted the name and affiliation with Christian Women's Fellowship on July 13, 1950. In the beginning, it was composed of only four divisions or districts. Three additional groups were still in existence-the Young Matrons (which dissolved in 1951), the Missionary Guild and the Margaret Kennedy Circle, both of which met at night. The CWF districts grew to six before 1953, and in 1955 two more day groups were added, making a total of eight daytime divisions. Every two years the names of the members were shuffled and drawn by the group leaders in order to facilitate better acquaintance and sociability. Organizational teas in May or July of the appropriate years were held beginning in 1959. In 1954, the Missionary Guild and the Margaret Kennedy Circle were invited to send representatives to the CWF board meetings. The Guild was made up of young working women and had recently held their first state house party at Blue Mound, Illinois. They enjoyed their Guild fellowship and were not pleased with the idea of giving it up. Thus, the Guild members did not submit to reshuffling and the members remained the same throughout the years. The Margaret Kennedy Circle also preferred to retain the same members. During the 1950's, the Guild and Margaret Kennedy Circle were not required to assume a proportional share of the budget of CWF but did turn in quarterly funds, which were used to meet the missionary portion of the budget. The year 1961 brought further change in group organization. Seven day groups (1-7) and three night groups (8, 9, and the Guild) were formed. The Margaret Kennedy Circle was dissolved on June 28, 1961, and the members remained with the night groups on the reshuffling plan. Two morning groups were combined in 1966, and a study group was started on Wednesday afternoons.
The slate of officers during these two decades remained consistent: president, first vice-president, second vice-president, third vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and directors of worship, study and service. In 1950, it was decided to extend the terms of office to two years.
The general meetings were held on the first Thursday of the month and group meetings on the second Thursday. In 1967, group meetings were changed to the last Tuesday, with executive board meetings immediately preceding. Several factors contributed to phenomenal attendance and participation in CWF at that time, at least until the middle 1960's. In the first place, a beautiful new church was nothing short of an inspiration. Secondly, many women at that time were not working outside of their homes and could and did give much of their time and efforts to the work of the church. It was not unusual for there to be 125 or 150 women at the general meetings. For several years there were annual family meetings, combining Christian Women's Fellowship, Christian Men's Fellowship, and Christian Youth Fellowship. There were annual memorial teas the first week in June in honor of deceased members. Decatur's Central hosted a state convention in 1967.
It was inevitable that a group such as Central's CWF would want to have bylaws to govern and regulate its organization, and so in 1956, a committee of five, including Rev. Carrell Flewelling, was chosen to draw up a constitution. The preamble was simply stated:
To develop a deeper understanding of Christ's love and salvation for ourselves and others and to provide channels of service to the church, the community, and the world; we, the women of Central Christian Church, do adopt this constitution.
It was determined that the bylaws should be re-examined every two years.
Worship, study, and service. These were and are the departments of CWF. Between 1950 and 1970, the worship component of the general programs was varied among group singing of hymns, doxologies, expressed prayers, silent prayers, responsive readings, and the CWF benediction. Music, in some form or other, was always a part of the program. Printed programs were available for a good portion of this era. Many had artistic designs on the covers and comprehensive program information on the inside, including a complete run-down of activities of the individual groups. The talented women of this time period were so adept at planning that it was difficult to determine where study left off and entertainment began and vice versa. Their presentations included tableaus, skits, one-act plays, book reviews, lectures, etc. Many memorable programs were described in the minutes. In a meeting in which Mexico was studied, an interesting Mexican family was interviewed in person. At Easter time a sacrificial luncheon was given at tables placed in the form of a cross, and during the program, entitled "The Challenge of the Cross," each lady present was asked to reflect upon the kind of cross she carried. A skit, entitled "Women of the Bible," was given as well as a tableau, "Peace on Earth." A meeting on China coordinated a Chinese luncheon with a book review of The Story of Mary Kiu. Guest speakers included such people as Dr. Henry Gromoll, Margaret Cherryhomes, Mrs. Emanual Rosenberg, and Mrs. Ralph Williams.
No doubt service was the department in which the Christian Women's Fellowship at Central truly excelled. Many caring, dedicated women from all groups contributed in such ways as:
Sewing at the Decatur and Macon County Hospital once a month Giving clothing and food for Parcels for Peace Giving to a nurses' scholarship fund Baking pies, cakes, and cookies for the Fun Fair Sending money to the United Missionary Society Making cancer dressings Sending diapers and gowns to a hospital in Haiti Saving old clothes and old nylons for Japan Helping needy families Financing scholarships to Eureka College Attending kettles for the Salvation Army Giving clothes to the United Churches' clothing drive Purchasing a complete hospital unit for the Illinois Heart Assoc. Sending Christmas gifts to Jacksonville and Lincoln Donating articles of clothing to Unicef Helping with Meals on Wheels Sending discarded sweaters to Hong Kong Sending money and gifts to the St. Louis Children's Home Giving money to help buy a refrigerator for a family in Paraguay
The in-church service projects were also numerous and worthwhile, such as: contributing to the building fund; buying flowers for the worship services; having communion plates resilvered; purchasing vases for the dining room; purchasing kitchen equipment, dishes and a steel folding door and black-out shades for the Great Hall; serving the young people on Sunday evenings; purchasing linens for the church; making robes for the Crusader Choir; and serving church-affiliated meals, teas, and receptions.
The ways and means for accomplishing these services were as diverse as the services themselves. Pure and simple generosity was demonstrated in the offerings at the sacrificial breakfasts and luncheons, women's days, birthday dinners, and in the case of the blessing-box collections. These monies went directly to the United Christian Missionary Society and the Basic Mission Finance Council. Hard work, energy, determination, and dedication certainly took over for a large number of the projects. In 1953, the custom of having one large money-making event was instituted. This was a smorgasbord and country store in 1953 and a turkey dinner in combination with a country store in 1954. At first the turkeys were cooked in individual homes, but later, as the kitchen in the new church became better equipped, this was changed. In 1956, the smorgasbord and country store returned with a complete sell-out of tickets. The turkey dinners, plus bazaars, reappeared in 1957 and continued until 1963 when it was decided to dispense with this money-making event by asking all members (via letters) to donate money instead of time and energy. This lasted only two years and bazaars were restarted in 1966. Financing for services was also accomplished by serving luncheons, dinners, and wedding receptions, mostly to outside groups. These affairs were served by individual groups of CWF members, with the income going into the general treasury. Other means of making money included selling magazine subscriptions, collecting stamps and Pillsbury coupons, selling stationery and appointment calendars, and holding rummage sales.
For fun, the CWF members had picnics, wiener roasts, potlucks, Halloween parties, etc. The Margaret Kennedy Circle even held a waffle "slupper," according to the minutes. The May breakfasts had various themes-e.g., house dresses and aprons were worn in 1955 and blue jeans and straw hats or sunbonnets in 1956.
Avis Bradbury of Normal, Illinois, entitled her history of women's work in the Christian Church in Illinois-Wisconsin The Unquenchable Flame. Surely the women of Central showed this in their many service projects, coupled with their fun-filled fellowship.
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Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336
email the webmaster at gbarron@cccdisciples.org