WOMAN'S GUILD

The Martha-Ruth Circle meets 3rd Sundays of each month

 (Except June, July & August & December) at noon in the Hoffmann Hall

              UPCOMING EVENTS

                    Guild of Reformed Church Women

                 President                                                       Estella Hackel

                 Recording Secretary                            Nancy Nimmo      

                 Corresponding Secretary                            Bertha Spada

                 Treasurer                                                       Janet Wright

                     Education                                                      Barbara Morici

                     Service                                                           Carol Earle

The Martha-Ruth circle meets the third Sunday of each month at noon following the worship service and the fellowship hour in the Hoffmann Hall. The Circle Leader is Barbara Morici.

History of Women's Involvement in the RCA

Women have made vital contributions to the Reformed Church in America throughout its 375-year history.

As early as 1800 women's involvement in church activities began. Sarah Doremus, a member of South Dutch Church in New York City, organized the Women's Union Missionary Society, which spurred other Reformed churches to collaborate.

In 1869 the Reformed Church in America sent its first female missionary, Mary Kidder, was a schoolteacher in Japan and founded a seminary there.

Between 1875 and 1900 the newly established Women's Board of Foreign Mission raised nearly $750,000 to be used to support women missionaries, girls schools, and seminaries. With auxiliaries in nearly every congregation in 1890, the women of the Reformed Church were better organized for mission than were the men.

In 1932 the denomination opened the offices of deacon and elder to women, and by 1979 women were accepted for ordination as ministers of Word and sacrament.

Today, women in the RCA serve as pastors, elders, and deacons. They also contribute their time and resources through the Office of Women and the Commission for Women and in countless local ministries.

                  Women's Ministries

Women in the Reformed Church in America, joining the long procession of Spirit-filled women on the move for Christ, are finding fresh opportunities for ministry and mission with the inauguration of Women's Ministries.

As churches were founded across North America, much of women's spiritual work and leadership was carried on outside the structures of the denomination, through a parallel organization.

This women's organization bore various names, most recently Reformed Church Women's Ministries (RCWM). Through RCWM many women of the RCA responded to God's call to use their spiritual gifts for the well-being of others and the wholeness of the church.

Women became leaders. They raised millions of dollars for mission work; did hands-on work across the globe; and gathered, studied, and worshiped at various conferences. Some pastored churches and taught in hospitals, colleges, and seminaries. They opened doors for other women to answer God's call in their lives.

The RCA affirms and celebrates women's gifts in ministry and leadership. Since 1972 the offices of deacon and elder have been open to women, and in 1979 General Synod approved the ordination of women as ministers of Word and sacrament.

Women's Ministries replaces the former parallel organization. No longer a separate organization, Women's Ministries will work hand in hand with other RCA program divisions, providing resources needed in local congregations. Women's Ministries has as its priorities avenues into mission and ministry, resources for group and personal Bible study, regional and national gatherings, leadership development, and issues of advocacy.

Guild of Reformed Church Women 

an article written by Elsie Paolini for the Gazette April 2005

    Twenty four women make up what we call the Guild of the Reformed Church in Hasbrouck Heights.

    Theoretically all women of the church are members but we twenty four are the ones who pay dues and except for one come to meetings. (She is in a nursing home)

    Why are these women special enough to write about ?  Because for forty years we have held together when so many other Guilds have disbanded.

     We formed a group in 1960 firmly committed to the purpose of service, Christian fellowship and spirituality and we have not departed from that commitment.

      Before 1960 there were four women's groups in the local Reformed Church: The Missionary Society, The League for Christian Service , the Young Women's Fellowship and the Ladies Aid.

      It was the Ladies Aid that instigated the foundingof the Reformed Church in Hasbrouck heights in 1883.

      In 1958 the national department of women decided that "Women's Work" be consolidated into one unit in each church, to be called a Guild.

     And so it was that our Guild  started to function in January 1960.  At first there were almost 150 signed up but soon members settled down to 120, then 100.

      The oldest member of the church, one of the founders' was a Ladies Aid. She of course soon died and so did the other Ladies Aiders. Women in large numbers started to work full time and so the membership in the Guild went down.

      We met once a month as a whole for business and programs and once a month in small "circles."

      For several years there were ten circles plus the Ladies Aid who also met once a month. Now the Guild meets four times a year and there are two circles that meet once a month.

     The circles met for devotional studies, to learn what is going on in the national as well as the local church, to plan projects and to form lasting friendships.

      Eight original members are still active.

      In 1960 we took on all the activities of the four groups and we were busy.  Spring luncheons were a biggie; so were fish and chips and roast beef dinners.

      We dressed dolls for our Arabian Missions and make layettes for needy. For two years we did a special reenactment of The Upper Room drama for Lent.

      Over the years there have been innumerable crafts made and sold, dinners, luncheons, rummage sales, all done to raise money for missions, local charities and our church.  Always there were devotional studies and programs. 

     Guild Women played leading roles in planning and carrying out events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our church in 1983. It was a year long celebration. Some also took part in renovating the church kitchen and the Punt lounge.

      From the beginning there have been two Reformed Church Women on the Board of Friendly Neighbors. Also from the beginning we have participated in World Day of Prayer.  Several have been honored by the Bergen County Council of Churches.

     Guild members conduct a Prayer Chain. Anyone in need of prayer has only to ask and he or she will receive prayers.  Call the church at 201 288-1122.

      Some of our members are elders and deacons on the Consistory, the governing body of the church.

       Right now labels from certain food products are being collected to send to Cook College in Tempe Arizona, a college and theological school for Native Americans and other minorities. 

     The coupons will buy a van or other expensive items they need but can't afford.  Recently we sent two pounds of clipped coupons.

     Health kits are being made up and sent to Church World Service for tsunami victims. We would welcome help. Anyone interested call the church.

     Each Mother's Day is blanket Sunday.  Donations in honor of or in memory of all woman in our lives is collected and sent to Church World Service to buy blankets.   A blanket can be a tent, a garment, a blanket, a baby cover when disaster strikes.  These blankets are sent anywhere the need arises. 

    In the same way for Father's Day money is collected for Tools of Hope to help people become self sufficient in carpentry, gardening, etc.

    When we started our Guild in 1960 we had four purposes: to deepen spiritual life, to study and learn, to serve, and to create Christian friendships.

     Most important was deepening spiritual life for from that all else flows.

      Though our members have dwindled and our activities changed with the changing concept of women's role in the church we still keep our faith.

       We women of the Reformed Church in Hasbrouck Heights like so many Christian women everywhere have made a difference.

        We thank God for the opportunities and will continue as long as He enables us.