LA PLATA COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Presbyterian Women
Women in the Community Presbyterian Church (CPC) have been organized into various organizations from the early days of the church. The Missionary Society was one of the first groups organized in the church to support Home and Foreign Missions. The name of the organization has changed through the years, but the predominant purpose of the organization has always been to unite our women in the Common Faith of our Lord and Savior through study, prayer, services and giving.
A part of the Presbyterian Women (PW) organization was small groups (Circles) of women who met monthly for Bible study and fellowship. In the 1970s, those circles were named: Grace Hudson, Lila Johnson, New Harmony and Ruth. Over the years, the attendance dwindled and Circles combined their meetings. The Grace Hudson Circle continued through 2010 and had 8 women meeting monthly for Bible Study, supporting missions and enjoying fellowship with each other.
The PW members visited people in their homes, donated clothing to the Church World Service and gave monthly mission offerings (Birthday Offering and Thank Offering). Members of PW delivered meals to bereaved families, planned and prepared funeral dinners for families. During worship, a candle was lit to celebrate the birth of a new baby in the congregation. The women had sewing days where they would make blankets and other items to send to missions around the world. Also, they would roll bandages (old bed sheets made into bandages) to send to health organizations around the world.
1990 Rolling bandages from old sheets for missions. Seated left to right: Caroline Dawson, Hortense Moots, Irene Story and Cleo Gault
The Fellowship of the Least Coin is one of the missions supported by members who contribute pennies and prayer to this worldwide effort. [This Fellowship links prayer and "least coins" in a very significant way, as the least coin becomes the symbol of prayer for peace and reconciliation. It was begun in 1956 by Shanti Solomon of India who considered that women anywhere could have a sense of being part of a worldwide family of faith as they prayed for peace and reconciliation and set aside the least coin of their country as a symbol of that prayer. Taken from the website of the Presbyterian Women, PCUSA.]
In 1981, PW delivered Christmas Plates to shut-ins in the community and our members at the La Plata Nursing Home (LNH). That mission continues today – as a project of the Mission/Outreach Committee. (However, currently, we give flowers to nursing home residents, rather than goodies.) Also, that year, members of PW started providing programs at the LNH.
The Presbyterian Cookbook was published in 1985 and over 400 copies were sold. Profits from these sales were used to purchase a new refrigerator and stoves for the church kitchen, a crib and high chairs for the church nursery as well as sports equipment for the youth. Other items purchased include cushions for the window seat at the manse and the cushions for the pulpit chairs in the sanctuary. Also, 2 card tables, an ice bucket and tongs, and Christmas decorations were purchased with cookbook profits.
In 1991, Becky Dawson gave a report on the USA Exchange Trip to Australia taken in Oct/Nov 1990, in which she represented the Synod of Mid-America and the Missouri Union Presbytery. Becky was one of 28 women from the US. The purpose of the trip was for women from the US to see mission projects and needs of the Australian people. The following year, PW members from Australia visited the US for the same purpose.
In 1998, PW had 5 monthly meetings, attended the Spring Annual Gathering in Moberly, received offerings for the Birthday Mission, Thank Offering and they continued sending cards to the sick or bereaved and had a prayer chain. They sent 10 baby gowns, 5 adult gowns and a box of rolled bandaged to mission. The PW dissolved as an organization in November 1998.
Even though the Presbyterian Women organization closed, nine ladies continued meeting together as the Grace Hudson Circle through 2010. They met monthly for Bible study, to support missions and to enjoy fellowship with each other. Missions supported continued to be the Fellowship of the Least Coin and the Festival of Sharing.
2002 Grace Hudson Circle: seated left to right: Dorcas Burch, Mary Ann Collins, Mary Frances Ruby, Mary Grace Mansfield, Letha McHenry, Ruth Hunter, Maxine Lock, Helen Sees. (Circle Member Becky Dawson took the picture.)
The Purpose of the Presbyterian Women organization is:
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves
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to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
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to support the mission of the church worldwide,
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to work for justice and peace, and
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to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.
