United Church Women (UCW)

Any woman “willing to contribute her prayers, gifts, and services for the work of the Church” may join the United Church Women (UCW). Along with providing important networking and social bonding opportunities, the UCW has led discussions on, for example, feminism and restorative justice. Indeed, says former Moderator Jordan Cantwell, United Church Women are the “hands and feet” of the church.

A Brief History

In 1962 the UCW (United Church Women) was created as the successor to the Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS), a world mission-oriented service and study group that supported almost 100 active missionaries around the world. The Woman’s Association (WA) at that time focused on work in the local church and community. Guilds and Ladies’ Aids were the WA’s forerunners; in the early years, these units went unrecorded, just doing what needed to be done, spiritually, financially, and socially.

Today, that spirit of generosity continues in active UCWs in Communities of Faith and regions from coast to coast to coast, united in expressing their devotion to Jesus Christ in Christian witness, study, fellowship, and service.

Read more about the history of the UCW in the UCW Guidelines, available under Downloads, below.

The Healing Fund

Bursary to Support Indigenous Women, Children, and Families

Learning culture through drumming and songs. Nokomis harvesting porcupine for traditional craft making. Creating children-focused art and crafts to learn culture and language.

Credit: Healing Fund

New for 2023, United Church Women (UCW) will fund programming designed by our Healing Fund partners for Indigenous women and children, whose primary focus is healing the family through culture and language while meeting individual supports within the program. Through the Healing Fund application process, for the next five years this priority group has been added, designed to specifically support women and children via this UCW special bursary program.

The Healing Fund acknowledges the UCW for their generous blessing and funding to ensure Indigenous women and children receive adequate support and encouragement through culture and language programming. For further inquiries and information on this new priority group, please reach out to our Healing Fund Coordinator at  healing@united-church.ca .

Project Selection: The Healing Fund - Bursary to Support Indigenous Women, Children, and Families was selected for partnership with United Church Women for this next Five-year Special Project, beginning 2023 through to UCW’s 65th Anniversary in 2027. Joni Shawana, Healing Fund Program Coordinator with Indigenous Ministries, The United Church of Canada, is our key contact for the project. UCW are excited to join with Joni’s team and to be a named partner in this unique program. This year’s NUCW Executive chose The Healing Fund as our next Five-year Special Project to follow the success of the 55th Anniversary partnership with Women for Change-Zambia, which wrapped up in 2022.  

The Healing Fund is a grant that supports healing initiatives in Indigenous communities to address the ongoing impacts of the residential school system. Many survivors name a need for mending, restoring, and celebrating—acknowledging a sense of loss, along with hope for rebuilding identity. Programs that have been supported throughout the years include healing and sharing circles, reunions and commemorations, traditional and cultural programs, language revitalization, workshops for residential school survivors and families, spiritual gatherings, creating digital resources, and more. Learn more about the Healing Fund projects and criteria.

UCW Endowment Fund

The United Church of Canada Foundation set up an endowment fund in 2012 to honour all the work done by the UCW members. Yearly interest on this fund will be granted to Mission & Service. What better way to say thank you than to make a gift in memory of or in honour of a UCW member? Your gift will become part of a lasting gift to Mission & Service every year.

Make your cheque payable to The United Church of Canada Foundation and note "UCW Endowment Fund" on the memo line of the cheque. You can also a send a note with the name of the woman you want remembered or honoured. A tax receipt will be issued.

Send your donation to:

The United Church of Canada Foundation
3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 200
Toronto, ON  M8X 2Y4

You can also donate online at The United Church of Canada Foundation website.

May we bless and acknowledge the service UCW women do as faithful servants of God.

Grants and Bursaries 

Agatha Kaasa Bursary Fund

• Eligibility: any woman who is part of the United Church and not in paid accountable ministry.
• Supports leadership training and education, continuing education, and projects or events that promote education, mission, outreach, spiritual nurture, and ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, locally or abroad.
• Up to one third of the total expenses related to a request can be received, with a maximum bursary of $1,500.
• Application deadlines: April 15 (for June 15 decision); October 15 (for December 15 decision)
• Application form under Downloads, below.

Dorothy Amos Fund

• Eligibility: any woman who is a UCW member.
• Supports greater connection of members of the UCW with church women in Canada and around the world. These connections may be fostered by visits, exchanges, or support of UCW members attending special events.
• Application deadline: July 2
• Application form under Downloads, below.

Life Membership

In recognition of a UCW member’s service, a UCW group may choose to present them with a Life Membership, which is registered with the national office and confirmed through the presentation of a Life Membership Pin and Certificate.

Full details on this honour are found in the UCW Guidelines; this handbook and the Life Membership Application Form are available under Downloads, below. Or access, fill, and instantly submit this electronic Life Membership Application Form.

Keeping in Touch Newsletter

The UCW’s Keeping in Touch newsletter, previously received through Infopac, is now published by National UCW in PDF format for circulation electronically or to be printed or mailing and sharing.

To obtain a copy or to get information about the newsletter:

1. Download the PDF files from this webpage.
2. Make a request through the NUCW Secretary at this e-mail link: gardnernucwsecretary@gmail.com.
3. Make a request at Keeping in Touch at this e-mail link: nucwkeepintouch2021@gmail.com.
4. Or contact any Regional UCW President to whom you may have access for your location.

Related Organizations

• Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada (WICC)

Contact

To get in touch with the National UCW, contact

National President
Nancy Risto
nancyssweets@live.com

President Elect
Barbara Davison
The.davisons@shaw.ca

National Secretary
Karen Hansen-Gardner
gardnernucwsecretary@gmail.com

National Treasurer
Carolle Dallas-Arbuckle
cdallas@ripnet.com