09. Ladies Aid/LCW/ELW

         

               Ladies Aid/LCW/ELW

               

It might seem from this reading that the Ladies Aid of Bethany Lutheran Church had faded from existence. Wrong. Absolutely wrong.  The ladies had maintained a loyal membership and were involved in a truly astounding number of events and benevolences through the years; they kept very efficient minutes of regular meetings and have been the living example of an ‘Aid’ to Bethany and to the larger world.

               

 

 

 

 A perusal of the minutes of almost any meeting could be used to display the vast array of involvement.  I’ve chosen the Bethany LCW meeting of Jan. 5^th, 1977 as fairly typical.

                “Barbara Mason opened the first meeting of 1977 with an LCW Reaffirmation.

                Following the Secretary’s report which was read and approved, a number of ‘Thank You cards were read from people having received Christmas boxes.The Treasurer, Linda Vinnins, gave her report.

               

A motion by Elsa Zelch to carry on with the adopted child in India for the year wasseconded by Bertha Meckbach.  This is at a cost of $180 per year and $45 is to be sent now and quarterly.

                Mary Leis gave the Christian Service Report.

A motion was made by Grace Fraser and seconded by Olive Bennewies to have Mary purchase 6 lbs. of coffee ahead in view of rising costs.

                                Bertha Meckback volunteered to look after the Kiddie Kits.

                                Carrie Wittig will continue to receive the used stamps and will deliver them to Waterloo to be sent overseas.

It was announced that the Triennial Convention would be held in Washington Aug. 8^th to 12^th and forms were available for further information.

[Edith Chambers moved that we send $30 to the Synodical treasurer, making a total of $120. for the current year.  Seconded by Helen Bond.]

Inga Hansen invited anyone to take part in the Christopher Course to be held at the church starting in January.

Midge Wentzell gave the devotions entitled “God Gives the Year”, assisted by the Pastor and Olive Bennewies at the piano.  Pastor Wentzell gave a closing benediction.

A work meeting followed with sewing, quilting, crocheting etc. and lunch was later served by the executive.”

                The minutes carry the signatures of the President: Barbara Mason and the Secretary: Norma Ziegler.

                Now, this is a successful way to run a meeting!

 

For all the years of this church, the ladies have simply completed tasks, many of which would have gone unnoticed or taken for granted by most of us: furnishing a working kitchen, sending Christmas parcels to our members in the Armed Forces during the war years, assembling ‘goody bags’ for birthdays and Sunday School pageants, decorating Christmas trees, dismantling Christmas trees, Altar Guild duties, Christian Service efforts—and all the while quietly committing themselves to benevolence funding to Synod, the Grenfell Mission, the Christian Children Fund, Lutheran missions, fund raising...

               

Without their ‘Aid’ and often unheralded support, there is a strong possibility that Bethany would not exist today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ladies Aid which became the LCW (Lutheran Church Women) and then the ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Women) would be officially  disbanded by Synod in the year 2011.  An outsider to the decision-making would only wonder why