At the time of Church Union in 1925 when the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches became the United Church of Canada there were existing groups of women in all of these congregations whose primary purpose was to support and promote missions. They came together to form the Women’s Missionary Society or WMS.
A year later at the second General Council a constitution was approved for a Woman’s Association, the WA. This brought together the Ladies Aids organizations who worked to raise money to support congregational and community needs
It was at the 19th General Council in 1960 that approval was given to amalgamate the two organizations into the United Church Women, and UCW was officially proclaimed in 1962.
The Maritime Conference United Church Women held its inaugural meeting in Trinity-St.Stephen United Church in Amherst, NS on March 14, 1962 and its first President was Lily Mooers of Fredericton, NB.
Those early years required much study and understanding to bring the two streams of service into one, and it was not always smooth sailing, but UCW has become a valued organization in the United Church of Canada, most probably due to the persistence, patience and vision of those women in 1962, and the dedicated efforts of women since that time.
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- Past Presidents Maritime Conference UCW – April, 2006
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- Past Presidents Maritime Conference UCW – April, 2008
Past Presidents are:
Lily Mooers 1962-1964
Hilda Vail 1964-1966
Ida Moyse 1966-1968
Jean Bone 1968-1970
Jean Howatt 1970-1972
Martha Walker 1972-1974
Verna Gass 1974-1976
Barbara Stewart 1976-1978
Madeline McGowan 1978-1980
Dorothy MacNeill 1980-1982
Irene Godfrey 1982-1984
Melcora Brown 1984-1986
Ruth Boothroyd 1986-1988
Emma Miller 1988-1990
Gwendoline MacRae 1990-1992
Paula Harding 1992-1994
Norma Ellis 1994-1996
Barbara Rafuse 1996-1998
Dorothy Stewart 1998-2000
Ruth Gamble 2000-2002
Reta Manuel 2002-2004
Mary MacRae Belliveau 2004
Elizabeth Ramsay 2004-2006
Ruth Rudderham 2006-2008
Information obtained from “Sailing Through Uncharted Seas”
written by Marti Walker and used with her permission.
