But is it still necessary?  

In many churches women do much of the leadership - chair the board, look after the finances, lead from the pulpit.  They work outside the home.  In the evening they are more apt to want to dress down in something casual that to dress up to go out.   Groups that were once either exclusively male or exclusively female are now often mixed. 

Men and women share the tasks of fundraising.  The UCW no longer put on the Harvest Supper and the no longer do the Men's Roast Beef Dinner (no women allowed in the kitchen).   Both men and women work at both these jobs. 

Men and women join together in Bible study, in book club, in other activities.

Men take their turn in the nursery

Social activities are often family oriented - sleigh ride, Christmas party, June picnic in the park.

Do we need a group that is exclusively for women?   What would happen if you invited men to your UCW?  (Perhaps this would have to be introduced slowly - like when you are having a guest speaker on a topic of general interest)

Yes, we need the UCW!

And, of course, the UCM. And also mixed groups.

Most church groups are mixed, anyway, so it is good to have some that are exclusively female, and others that are exclusively male.

I've only ever attended 2 UCW meetings. One was to try it out. Nope it was way too old fashioned for me.

The next time-10 years later-differnt place-I went to the cookie exchange because I wanted  cookies!

It hasn't met my needs.

BUT my mother at 80-is a lifetime meber and she likes it.

SO I say-Let it be-it certianly raises good money for outreach for the church as well.

Explain to me. I thought the National United Church Women was finished.

I think that the churches that still have them do not have many. 10 or 15 years ago they had several units but not any more. Many younger women work in the morning and afternoon and the structure does not meet their needs anyway. 

The UCW made lots of money for the pastoral charge but I am hearing more and more that there are not enough bodies to help in the kitchen, get ready and work rummage sales etc. 

I have also seen comments on Rock The Bible that the Social Media concept is more what the young want. However, I am sure this doesn't raise money for the church unless these same folk start coming to church.

I think at this point in the churches life, the UCW is a social gathering for a lot of the elderly.

I remember there was a minor fuss back in my UCCan days when a minister's wife worked (or went to university, I forget which) and couldn't go to the daytime UCW group. In Internet speak, it would have gone something like "OMGWTFBBQ! The minister's wife has a life outside the church!". I hope that sort of thing has gone away.

I do see a place for groups like the UCW and AOTS (the old men's club that Dad went to) but it shouldn't be about encouraging stereotypical roles. Rather, it should be about acknowledging that each of the sexes does have a different life experience (e.g. men don't get pregnant and don't have periods) and therefore there are differences in their spiritual needs. Some time to share with other of the same sex is a part of our spiritual development, as is time to share with all of the community.

My UU church is currently quite small so doesn't have much by way of activities anyhow, so no such groups. However, I have been to UU churches that did have men's and women's groups.

Mendalla

I don't know. Some of the UCW groups at the United Churches I've been to here still seem pretty lively with fundraising, social action, doing services, and such like. I suspect it depends on how active and lively the church is. A church that is "alive" is probably more likely to have a UCW that is "alive".

Mendalla

My mom and I have never been part of the UCW but do help them out with fundraisers etc.

UCW is still very much needed and loved.

It would be a HUGE mistake to disband.

Yes there is a national UCW office. They provide resources ....

We have a very active UCW at our church. There is a definite role for us. We have nine individual units that meet monthly more or less depending on the group. Total about 140

W meet as a large group twice a year. Next month we have a social dinner, in fact I am in charge of the dinner. W then meet in December for our general meeting. To approve our financials and plan the next years.

We raise approximately $100,000 each year. W donate 10% to our church for generally extra things like replacing rugs we donate 10% to M&S and the rest we distribute to local Toronto charities. There are approximately 30 of those. Some of those charities defiantly need our $2000 each year.

We fund raise, have social meetings ,cater the funerals at the church, provide leadership with in the church.

Yes I am also on Stewards. As are others and some are Session or worship and other groups

I would say we group together. Friends to enjoy each others company and to raise money for charity with things we enjoy doing

We put on a massive flea market and a large art show each years. Those events mainly give us our money. There are,any small events each year too.

It is a way for women to meet friends and get to know others and for women who have been around it is a way to stay connected

Way to go Lastpointe

The church in the small town in which I reside, got rid of its UCW as the younger generation of women were anti-feminist (all now in their 40s and 50s) and as the UCW as a grassroot feminist organization but mainly of women raised before the term grassroots feminism or feminist was actually a source of linguistic alliance allowed the organization to fizzle in the belief in change and evolution.

I don't think that this is what has happened.  Rather, what has happened is a no person's land where disunity, discord, and no democratic method seeths and boils itself into an abyss of dis-ease.   I wrote that for Arminius.  I thought that he'd like that.

Do they do activities where men could be included though?

If it's bible studies, fellowship, or that type of thing and there's enough people interested I can see the point of having a men's group, a women's group and a mixed group.  Some of the activities that the UCW do would be better off as a mixed group IMO.  I'm thinking back in a time though, I'm not sure about what goes on currently.

The local UCW consists of a group of elderly woman who have declared they are too old to do much fundraising work.  The group just didn't get new members over the years, for several reasons - they insisted on continuing to meet during the day - they didn't want to adjust to newer ideas and activities - they didn't want the younger women to start an evening group because it could get confusing (all of these fit in the We Have Always Done It This Way syndrome).

Many years ago it was quite a big 'thing' with a write up in the paper after each meeting.  Now it is basically 'dead'.  The general congregation raise money, seemingly endlessly, for maintenance, repairs, hydro etc.

Our final UCW unit disbanded about 10 years ago. We have had other women's groups since then, for example a women's Bible study, but none have really stuck. We do, however, have an active men's group that meets regularly for breakfast. In fact the president-elect of the national AOTS is a member of our congregation! As I understand it, our men's group is mostly a social group - but they do also help out in congregational events. Last month, for example, they worked with the youth group to put on a BBQ.

I don't.

In our previous small town congregation, my wife was an active member of the UCW. Some of the women there were widowed and lived alone, others did not get on too well with their husbands. The UCW was, for them, a field of fulfilment, a home away from home, and a sisterhood of likeminded women.

It is too bad that many of you don't have UCWs. Over the years I have found it a good way to meet women in the church and to also meet intergenerationally.

Sadly I can see how a small UCW that is stuck in its way would wither. In the same way that any organization resistant to change will fade away with time. Certainly there are a lot of UCWs country wide. They have an annual meeting, I think last year it was in Nova Scotia for four days.

One of our units is primarily women under 30 with toddlers. They sell the children's toys at the flea market. My unit used to do that when our kids were young

They meet less than monthly and primarily get together to gab, support each other, have wine and an evening together away from kids and family.

One unit is small, perhaps 15 women and they are the original group, mostly over 75. Yet they are one of the busiest. They cater the funerals. Interestingly, they have had several new members join them who are in their 50. as their role in the church of caring through the funerals appeals to many people. I have helped at big funerals and wow, have they got it down to a science!

Of course there are other ways for women to meet and get together but the common bond of being in the church together is good.

Men definitely participate in our flea market and art show. I guess it started with boyfriends and husbands helping but has blossomed into a lot of men, not involved with the UCW helping to raise money for charity. It also of course provides much needed cheap products for our shoppers.

Our unit has grown up together. I joined them when my son was a toddler. W have waxed and waned like any group but keep a core of about 20. Now our kids are in university or done. We meet about 8 times a year plus of course the Flea Market work week.
It takes a complete week to unpack the flea market stuff that has been collected and stored all year. We start Sundays after church and it is a "come in your jeans and help" service that Sunday morning
Sometimes we trade books and discuss books. We get sponsors and do the Run for the Cure in honour of one of our members who was ill with breast cancer and has now died, we attend fundraiser s for Autism, ( ones son has Autism), we have pot luck dinners, we do yoga classes, once we oiled the wood work in the sanctuary.

We do whatever the person organizing the meeting wishes to do and it varies a lot.

I guess one of our strengths isthediversity in the groups but I do believe the main reaso women join is to meet other women in the church

Hi seeler,

Yes.  I believe that not only is it still necessary that such distinction is vital to overall church health.

This may be an example of correlation more than it is causation:  Men at one point in time had an organization that was strictly for men AOTS (As One That Serves) was, and in some places still is, an organization that allowed men to gather and to work on mission projects of their own.

AOTS, as a truly national body died ages ago.  A common complaint in this United Church of ours is, "Where did the men go?"

The UCW has tried reorganizing and I'm guessing in some places that has helped while in others it hasn't made much of a difference.  Will women still attend when they no longer have the collegiality that UCW provides or once provided?

And let us consider the other groupings that exist under the umbrella of The United Church of Canada, choirs, AFFIRM, Cruxifusion, Camps, the various youth organizations as examples.  Every single one of these appeals more to one than the other and each and every single one of these runs the risk of being a close-minded group.

And yet for that danger there is also a rather high reward that has been of benefit to the whole of the Church.  For years the AOTS read the Observer and recorded it so that our brothers and sisters with visual deficiencies or literacy issues could hear what was contained in the Observer.  I'm not aware of that service continuing and so, what has taken its place?  Does that represent a loss or a gain to the whole of the Church?

The real problem with like minded groups is, more often than not, those who don't belong and who cannot or will not trust that those who think or act different are anything other than a threat to their worldview.

We read "body of many parts" and still insist every part should be an eye.

We should suck lemons less and let others enjoy life more.

Grace and peace to you.

John

My impression is, that UCW is mostly important for the older generation. I remember that the motto of the UCW (which I can't recall anymore) did not appeal to me. I was told that "all women in the UCC are members of the UCW, no matter if they go to the meetings or not"- which I do not agree with, especially if that group gives it selves a motto/ purpose that i would not sign my name under.
My hunch is, that with aging population, UCW will eventually die or change into something more interesting.
I personally do not see any reason to be in a all female group and I wish I just could go to the men's breakfast- which makes so much more sense to me. (Seems more enjoyable than catering to others).