
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
Karen Rupp on said:
Our group at Toledo Mennonite is called Sew and So
Claire DeBerg on said:
Fun name, Karen! Ha!