Women's Activities - Then and Now

By Anne Stinson

As our church celebrates 100 years of Christian witness, worship and service in this part of the city, we want to recognize the heritage of women's work and involvement in the continuing ministry of Trinity and St. Paul's United Churches. Through the past century women have demonstrated their faith in carrying out a variety of ministries to help bring justice and spiritual well-being to the world. Two organizations with various components, the Women's Missionary Society (W.M.S.) and the Woman's Association (WA.) were the structured way in which women's work was carried out at Trinity.

W.M.S. began at Trinity in 1893, where the Senior Auxiliary, named after a beloved pastor. Rev. Isaac Tovell, was traditionally a missions oriented group. Support of overseas workers was a prime concern, and a missionary home on furlough was a much sought after speaker in Society meetings. Teas and bake sales and Life Membership fees in W.M.S. helped generate funds for missions.

Other W.M.S. sponsored groups included a Mission Circle, formed in 1901, named in 1922 after Mrs. A.O. (Elizabeth) Lee, for many years honorary President of the group. A Mission Band was established in 1905 to help boys and girls study the various mission stations around the world, and an outgrowth of this group was the Kilborn Missionary club, an independent study class for those over 14 years of age, named after Leslie Kilborn, who met regularly with these young people until he went to China.

The Joy Wallace Jr. Mission Cirle was started in 1918, and named for an early W.M.S. President, and there was the Collier Club, for Sunday School girls, some from C.G.I.T., where they received more missionary education. This club, started in 1932 was named-after Bruce Collier, a missionary in China, and evolved into the Cora Kilborn Club. (Cora had been President of the Joy Wallace Auxiliary before she returned to China in 1944.)

In 1935 Mrs. G.O. Fallis set up eight "circles" or groups, as part of the Woman's Association, and invited interested women to join one of these, where, in Christian friendship they shared together, carrying on the work of the church in study, service and fundraising.

Ladies' Aid, latterly the Woman's Association, was the church's homemaking group, and raised money for local church work through fabulous bazaars, formal teas, luncheons, fashion shows, rummage sales, square dances, bake sales, etc. W.M.S. and W.A. jointly sponsored Christmas and June meetings, with special programmes, and an anticipated event for many years was the annual May luncheon, where excellent food, a fine musical interlude and an outstanding speaker attracted members and their guests in great numbers. These splendid occasions have, alas, passed into history. As early a 1901 there had been some pressure for amalgamation of W.M.S. and Ladies' Aid, but W.M.S., especially, felt differences in emphasis precluded this proposed union. Not until 1960, at the instigation of the National Church, did W.M.S. and W.A. federate, and two years later United Church Women was inaugurated. "Circles" became "Units" (there were seven to start with) and Cora Kilborn Club became Unit 1. At quarterly general meetings of the U.C.W. special programmes and speakers attracted the whole membership, while Units met monthly with their own projects and programmes. United Church Women have volunteered their services over the years in many outreach projects, some of which have been: making sandwiches for Fred Victor Mission (up to 50 loaves were required, twice a year) — now donations go towards hot meals at the Mission; spring and fall clothing drives; sorting and packing clothing bales to go overseas at 100 Simcoe Street (now 100 Simcoe is an elegant restaurant "It's Magic"): driving and delivering for Meals on Wheels; knitting for Cansave; making cancer dressings; collating "FishEye Lens" for Ecumenical Forum, etc.

Internally the W.A. was instrumental in helping to establish and furnish the original War Memorial Room (now, since renovations, the Studio) and the U.C. W. took on the furnishing of the present Memorial Room, as well as enlarging and renovating the main floor kitchen and the ongoing responsibility for the kitchenette adjoining the Memorial Room. This includes appliances, equipment, dishes cutlery, etc.

Through the passing of the years, and the return of so many women to the work force, U.C.W. membership has decreased, and now one Unit meets regularly, with about 30 women. A continuing Executive keeps on top of projects, refurbishing and financial commitments. Through bequests made to United Church Women, and individual members' givings we have been able to contribute substantially on an annual basis to Trinity - St. Paul's Outreach Projects (Gathering Spot, Friendship Centre etc.) and other worthy causes as well as the Mission and Service Fund.

A most recent happy acquisition is the splendid supply of new pew cushions - the driving force for these being the U.C.W. - helped by substantial donations and a Burns night benefit given by our own Malcolm Sinclair and David McKane.

In recent socials and fund-raising events such as potluck suppers, flea markets, auctions, various groups in the church have joined in planning and participating.

This spirit of co-operation helps bring us all together as a church family, and in a year of celebration such teamwork augurs well for the future.

Senior Women's Club

The Senior Women's club was begun in 1951 by Lottie Vowles, who was the Congregational worker at Trinity at that time, and attracted older women in the church, some of whom were members of W.M.S. or W.A., as well as women from the immediate neighbourhood. They met weekly, on Tuesdays, at eleven, for fellowship and activities, including knitting, quilting and crafts, and then would prepare and serve a light lunch. They sponsored a Hong Kong orphan for some time, and held bazaars and bake sales to keep the group solvent.

After lunch they would hold a brief prayer period. Their symbol was the rose: symbolic of the love that binds us in a Christian fellowship; their colours: green and gold, green for the spirit of youth, and gold for the golden years; and their motto: Keep the spirit of youth through the golden years.

Olive Hart took on the group, and continued the work and in 1973, with a goodly number of retired men participating it became known as the Tuesday Club, and carried on with various work groups, luncheon meetings and outings by bus to places of interest in and outside of Toronto. For some time after Olive's official retirement the Tuesday Club flourished, but now, unfortunately, is no longer meeting.

A Synthesis of Happy Memories

Our Sunday School through the eyes of the Campbell sisters, Mary McMahon, Fred Staples and Ellen Willows with an update from Patricia Lisson.

Twenty members from Trinity Methodist Church held their first Sunday meeting on the afternoon of June 12th, 1887. It was held in a tent, a humble beginning, but by 1889 they were meeting in what was later called the Fireside Room, the largest Sunday School quarters in Canada.

Moving into the 1920's and 30's many of our older members will remember: Mrs. Pemberton-Page's young men's class, the famous Edith Cavell class led by W.P Goodman (Jennie Bouck's father) and Mrs. J.E. Shepperd's primary department where so many of us began. G.K. Quarrington, Mary Rogers, Connie Ferguson Ellis, Gaius Thompson and Grace Gordon were all important names in this period.

It is interesting to look back on the Chinese Class under the dynamic Bill Bouck, an attempt to make recent immigrants feel at home in Toronto, surely a harbinger of happy relations with so many Chinese and other Asian members of Toronto Churches today.

Some of the classes of the 1930's and 40's continued on as adult groups. The never-to-be-forgotten Ruth Ferguson Jane gathered as many as 80 young women from all over the city. Her inspirational leadership, Sunday breakfast in High Park and Bridge Parties to raise money for our men overseas, kept that class together for over 15 years. Wm. "Pop" Hay not only had a successful young men's class but he also welcomed them, along with their girl friends, any time before midnight where they might discuss religion, politics or the latest dance steps. Many of these students became superintendents and teachers themselves. There are many names, too numerous to mention, who will be remembered with affection by former members of their classes.

Sunday School was not all classes; we can't forget the picnics; from the ones at A. W. Miles Farm in Mimico, where Ellen Pettinger won the hundred yards dash and we all had a chance to ride a pony, through all those at Toronto Islands. Remember those exciting trips to Port Dalhousie by boat (adults $1.00, children .500 with dancing at night on the way home. What fun we had at the Hallowe'en parties held in the church basement, with ghosts in the furnace room! How thrilling it was to be in the Christmas pageant or singing in Jennie Bouck's Choir! How easy it was to grow up in those days, surrounded and protected by the wonderful Trinity family.

All the traditions were preserved during the 1950's, 60's and 70's but also many changes were made. A bright well-appointed nursery was established with 25 infants on the roll, a godsend to young parents. The "New Curriculum" and the great leadership of such teachers as Jean Burton, Margaret and Isabel Campbell, Ellen Willows, Elliot Dillworth drew about 125 students to the school. Ralph Lyle's famous pancake breakfasts played no small part in this success. How hard they worked, those wonderful people, Elsie Pick, Fred Staples, Kay Fallis, Reynold Grant, Milton Cutcliffe, Mary Mumford, Cynthia Halpin, Margaret Ebert, Edith Pearson, Lillian Hogan, Ivy Hope and many others. They not only taught classes but painted floors and walls, built shelves and heaven knows what else. They were a truly dedicated group. However by the end of this era, with the many changes in the church community, membership began to dwindle. By the time our Diaconal Minister, Patricia Lisson, took over the organization of the Sunday School in 1982, there were only 4 or 5 students left. With her hard work and very positive attitude, Trinity - St. Paul's now boasts a membership of over 50 students and a full range of classes. The entire Sunday School from Kindergarten to the Teen group attend the Church Service once a month. The inter-generational concept has been a strong factor in the regeneration of the Sunday School.

Looking back over this fragmented account, we can not fail to be impressed by the dedication of these leaders in religious education. May their example inspire a whole new generation to continue the re-vitalization of the Sunday School in Trinity - St. Paul's United Church. May God be with them.

St. Paul's Avenue Road Sunday School

In the St. Paul's component of our congregation there are not as many long memories of Sunday School as exist in theTrinity group. But we do know that in the early years it flourished in much the same way in both churches. Allusions to those times will be found in the preceding sketch of the history of St. Paul's. Of the people who came over to Trinity, only Shirley Marescaux appears to have had children who went through. Paul Stott, although of an age to have attended, preferred the adult service, although he served for a time as Superintendent of Sunday School.

A little further light is shed by a hand-written note from R. McDavid but without providing clues as to dates. He says in part:

"Edgar File was the head of the Sunday School. Walter MacLelland & Cameron were teachers of the older classes. Miss Grace Sykes, a missionary in Honan, China, had returned to Canada and became a deaconess at St. Paul's and leader of the Primary Class. Calena Robertson from River, Nova Soctia and a secretary of the Read Library and Marion Evans and others were teachers. We had an interesting and lively lot of children — Helen Porter, youngest daughter of the Rev. Gordon Porter, the two children of Jim and Evelyn Porter, now active members in a church in Etobicoke, Jim and Claude Dowden — Jim is now a minister, I believe. He and his bride were at a service in St. Paul's in 1976 and Jim gave a testimony. There was a letter from him from Ancaster in the May 1985 Observer. I also remember the Marescaux children, especially Terry. Miss Evelyn Murray, a retired teacher from the Roncesvalles area was the leader of the little ones. She was assisted by May Hall who also served as secretary of the Sunday School for many years. A meeting of the teachers was held once a month after church until Sunday School at 3:00 p.m. I particularly remember the tomato soup."