On this April Fool’s Day we’re seeking fun (and funny!) ideas for naming Mennonite women’s groups…leave a comment with your group’s name or name idea! This story inspired us to gather names of groups from the US and Canada:

One Mennonite Women’s group in South Dakota called themselves “Ladies of the Evening” because it was made up of women who worked during the day and could not meet with the Mission Society group during their daytime meeting, hence “Ladies of the Evening.” (hahahahaha!)

Below is a list of different group names found in a history book of Canadian Women in Mission by Esther Patkau. Patkau notes that what may be the earliest Mennonite sewing circle in Canada called themselves the “Wohltätigkeitsverein” (charity organization). Here are more:

Missionsverein
Willing Helpers
Sewing Circle
Naehverein
Mission Society
Willing Workers
Tabitha Mission Society
Women’s Missionary Society
Young Women’s Charity Club
Mission Circle
Ladies Fellowship
Maria Martha Women’s Society
Cheerful Helpers Ladies Aid
Faith and Charity Society
Mission Helpers
Dorcas Circle
Hanna Verein
Lydia-Kreis
Naomi-Ruth Verein
Loving Deeds Mission Circle
Homemakers Fellowship
Koinonia Ladies Group
Mennonite Ladies Auxiliary
Christian Fellowship
Mission Sisters
Maranatha Sewing Circle
Ebenezer Verein
Grace Ladies Aid
Sunbeam Ladies Aid
Ladies Mission Band
Goodwill Society
Cheerful Mission Circle
The Tuesday Group
Busy Bees
Women in Mission Friendship Circle
Good Samaritan Club
Friendly Hour
Happy Homemakers
Happy Hearts
Bethany Ladies Aid
Friends Indeed
The Serviettes
Women’s Christian Endeavor

Anita Hooley Yoder, our historian offered this fun aside: “I get together occasionally with a group of women known as “YAM-WAM.” We are all part of a mixed-gender young adult group that we call “YAM,” for “Young Adult Mennonites” (even though some of us aren’t that young and some of us aren’t Mennonite). So someone called our women’s group YAM-WAM, because…Young Adult Mennonites Women Adult Mennonites…and the name stuck!”

Names of women’s groups in the Mennonite Women USA’s database:

Christian Homemakers

Daughters of Dorcas

Daughters of Grace

Dorcas Circle

Friendship Circle

Hands of Friendship

Hannah Circle

Happy Hearts

Happy Hour Circle

Hearts and Hands

Home Mission Circle

Homebuilders Society

Homemakers Fellowship

King’s Daughters

Ladies Aid

Ladies Sewing Group

Lend a Hand Stitchers

Mary-Dorcas

Mary-Martha Circle

Mennonite Women

Mission Circle

Mission Co-Workers

Mission Fellowship

Mission Society

Mission Workers

Prayer pals

Priscilla Circle

Serving Others Circle

Sewing Circle

Sonshine Outreach

Sunshine Sisters

Trusting Prayer Fellowship

Tuesday Morning Bible Study

Vespers

Willing Hands

Willing Helpers

Willing Workers

WMS

WMSC

WMSC Day Group

Women in Mission

Women’s Christian Fellowship

Women’s Fellowship

Women’s Group

Women’s Organization

Workers

And now…what are some fun (and funny!) names you can think of…