PURPOSE: The United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God; and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative supportive fellowship and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.
(learn more about UMW) http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/
OUR MEETINGS:
Varina’s Monthly UMW meetings are held the 2nd Wed. of each month.
How to Become a Member of the Varina UMW
To join our unit of United Methodist Women, email our Mission Coordinator for Membership Nurture and Outreach, Lorna Bodholdt Or you may contact our Pastor for further directions. All women are welcome.
LINKS TO CURRANT UMW NEWSLETTERS
Iowa’s STATE UMW OFFICERS AND NEWSLETTER:
http://www.iaumc.org/page.asp?PKValue=1033
Iowa’s NORTHWEST DISTRICT UMW NEWSLETTER:
The June, 2009 District UMW Newsletter is now available on the web. Please click on the link to go to the UMW page and then at the bottom of the page click on the newsletter link.
VARINA WOMEN'S HISTORY
When first organized in 1901, “The Ladies Aid” met once a month at 3:00 p.m.. Devotions and a business meeting were followed by a bounteous supper, served to the public by two members for $.25 a plate. Members were friendly competitors and each team tried to serve the greatest number of people. Often 100 persons were served and netted $20-$25. The minister carried all the water from the parsonage; hard water for drinking and soft water for dishes. Later, boys were hired for their supper!
The Salem German Methodist Women were an active group named Women’s Foreign Missionary Society. This Home Mission Society was formed with separate funds supported the home missionary’s projects. Mission work was the duty of the Foreign Mission Society and the Home Mission Society. The Ladies Aid was responsible for paying the ministers salary and for general maintenance of the church. Money making projects were always on their minds.
After the “Aid” meetings, the husbands would come to take the ladies home, but a meal was s served also and the men paid $.25, the women $.15, and children over 6 paid $.05.
Varina had an opera house and an Odd Fellows hall. During the winter the ladies Aid served oyster stew to the public. Food sales were done and plays were presented. Basket socials were held at the church.
The ladies tied quilts and sewed aprons for the towns people. They were paid $.50 a quilt.
During W.W.I the Red Cross made an appeal for knitted sweaters for the soldiers because the government issued uniforms were so poorly made that the soldiers were freezing to death.
The first bazaar was held in a vacant creamery. tables and benches were made from lumber rented from the lumberyard. Some ladies made paper flowers to decorate the tables. Food was cooked in the homes and brought to the bazaar. Dishes were also brought from the homes. Two oil burners were used to keep the food hot.
In 1932, these churches became one charge. In 1939 Women’s Society of Christian Service came into being and Varina followed Pastor Mueller’s advice and put aside all the old and became one united Women’s organization. Every office was filled and we had 48 Charter members.
This was a time of transition. Lois Hanke was President of the Ladies Aid Society. All the Societies became organized into one unit. Lois later became the first woman from the Varina church to serve at the District level of the W.S.C.S. She also attended Annual COnference for 25 years.
Mrs. Wiley crocheted lace for the new piano.
Together, they studied the guide and were recognized as one of the better organized groups in the Fort Dodge District. Three members served as district officers serving as Chairpersons of the “Status of Women”, and Christian Social Relations
Pledge of the W.S.C.S.
“I desire to become a member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service of the Varina Church.
As such it is my purpose to join in helping to develop and support Christian work among women and children around the world; to develop the spiritual life; to study the needs of the local church, improve civic, community, and world conditions; to enlist others in this Christian fellowship, and secure funds for the activities in the local church and the support of the work undertaken at home and abroad for the establishment of a world Christian Community
“To this end I will give PRAYER, SERVICE, and an ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION to the TOTAL BUDGET of the Society. Thus, I will contribute to, educate for, and promote the THREEFOLD PROGRAM of the women of Methodism.”
VARINA METHODIST WOMEN’S PRESIDENT
“The Ladies Aid ”“Womens Society of Christian Women” “United Methodist Women”
Varina’s Last President Varina’s First President Varina’s First President (1973)
Lois Hanke (1940) Myrtle Krogstad (1940) Myrtle Krogstad
50 year Anniversary President (1990)
Judy Doyel
VARINA UNITED METHODIST WOMEN’S PRESIDENTS
Myrtle Krogstad 1940-1941 Estella Hauser 1942-1944 Edla Voss 1945
Edith Pearson 1946-1947 Edla Voss 1948 Eva Tevepaugh 1949-1951
Hazel Putnum 1952-1954 Alois Eisenhauer 1955-1959 Hanna Omtveldt 1960-1963
Edla Voss 1964-1966 Helen Kinkade 1967-1968 Eunice Reineking 1969- 1972
Myrtle Krogstad 1973- 1974 Eunice Reineking ` 1975- 1977 Myrtle Krogstad 1977
Mavis Schumann 1978- 1979 Eldona Hornor 1980-1983 Cheryl Baughman 1983- 1985
Harriet Boothby 1986- 1989 Judy Doyel 1990- 1992 Harriet Boothby 1992-2010
