Read about - Westminster Presbyterian Church

as the members either left the city or drifted into the evening
circle when Dad could do the baby-sitting.
In the early years planned activities of the Women’s Association
and circles were listed in the Sunday bulletins under
the heading “Women’s Work.” And, indeed it was. From the
start the women collected Betty Crocker coupons and books
of Holden, Top Value, Gold Bell and Green Trading Stamps
for the purpose of furnishing the kitchen and nursery.
Records of the association and circles contain a running
plea and reminder for coupons, stamps, pledging, and “three
dozen cookies.” Receptions, monthly coffee hours for new
members, parties for the children, Vacation Bible School,
and many other social events were conducted by the women
of the church, always requiring many volunteers for service,
as well as “three dozen cookies.”
Fundraising, too, was an important contribution as women
assisted in the building campaigns and acquisition of essential
needs. Their money raisers ran the gamut from the
Christmas gift sale started in 1959 with proceeds to be applied
to the church debt, a “coffee tasting” which netted $102
for the library, to a “Duds for Dishwasher” fashion show in
1975 when the installation of a kitchen dishwasher was the
major project.
Benevolences
Even with their efforts on behalf of temporal needs of the
struggling church, women’s benevolence contributions were
never overlooked or omitted. In the earlier years assistance to
mission areas through the world were alternated, necessarily,
with contributions toward essential needs of the church. In
1960 a sum of $610 was applied to the church building debt;
in 1962, $825 was donated to a mission project; in 1963-64
the building fund for the new sanctuary was enriched by their
contribution of $1,100; in 1971 snack sets were purchased for
the distaff side—59