Church Women United of Grand Forks

The Church Women United of Grand Forks was an organization whose primary purpose was to bring together Christian women in common faith and outreach in the community. Membership was open to all Christian women who wished to manifest their unity and express the ecumenical dimensions of their faith and work. Other women were allowed to participate provided that they understood the purpose of the organization and intended to cooperate in advancement of its program. The club's agenda consisted of three annual days, World Day of Prayer (first Friday in March), May Fellowship Day (first Friday in May) and World Community Day (first Friday in November); three Forums, one in February, April and October; and an annual meeting (first Friday in December). The purpose of each Forum was to inform participants about issues in the community and suggestions for volunteer service. In 1956, the Fellowship of the Least Coin (May) was added. The purpose of this event was to pray for the reconciliation of the home, community, nation and world. At this event, a common offering was taken to raise money to issue grants to women's projects worldwide. Additional meetings could be called by the president or any five members of the executive team to discuss the "call to meeting" business. Locally, the group did many things over the years. In the 1950s, they funded and staffed summer schools for migrant children. Later they played a role in the development of the LISTEN "drop- in" center to provide activities for disabled individuals. Over the years they made donations of time, money or materials to the following organizations: the Grand Forks Mission, Salvation Army, Community Violence Center, MESA, CROP, Habitat for Humanity, Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel, Koinonia Center, Quad County Community Action Program, Church World Services, local Correctional Center, POW (People Overcoming Welfare), Emergency Food Cupboard, the National Peace Institute Foundation and the University of North Dakota International Center. In 1999, the Church Women United of Grand Forks voted to disband their unit because of aging membership and the new lifestyles of women in society. Prior to the Grand Forks Flood of 1997, the organization had trouble finding officers and after the flood membership dropped.