Happy Birthday Women Ministries!

It was on this date in 1916 that the first of two groups of women signed a charter establishing the Swedish Mission Covenant Women's Society, later to be called the Covenant Women's Auxiliary. Ninety three women signed the charter on January 21, 1916, and the following month another 32 women signed, bringing the total charter membership to 125.

The idea for a women's auxiliary actually was born the previous year when Louisa Nyvall, whose husband David was president of North Park College, invited a few women for coffee. The idea caught on, resulting in two charter member meetings being arranged by Selma (Mrs. Charles) Wik and Sarah (Mrs. Carl) Highfield. The first group met January 21 at Northside Mission Church, with the second meeting held February 18 at Englewood Mission Covenant Church on the south side of Chicago.

The organization has undergone numerous changes over the years and continues today as a vibrant ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church under the leadership of Executive Minister Ruth Hill.

A more in-depth look at the organization, its history and its mission, will appear next week as part of this online Covenant news report. Watch for it!

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