03 Jul Hillsdale Women’s Mission Group Celebrates 60 Years
Women of the Hillsdale Evening Missionary Society.
Skits from the youth (left) and music from Noble Bertalon and his band were part of the 60th anniversary celebration.
The Evening Missionary Society of the Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.) celebrated their 60th anniversary on June 6, 2013.
With over 100 attending, the celebration kicked off with a complimentary dinner catered by the Tastes of Life Restaurant of Hillsdale. Following dinner, guests enjoyed music and drama skits performed in the sanctuary.
Donna Hollopeter (right), Global Ministries associate director, was the speaker for the evening. She showed a slide presentation of missions work around the world.
Two members of the Evening Missionary Society, Marilyn Duryea and Lois James, attended the first meeting in February 1953, and are still active members today. Marilyn told how the Evening Missionary Society got started. She stated that back in 1953 there were three women’s missionary groups at Hillsdale UB, all meeting in the daytime. Many mission-minded women worked during the day and could not attend, so they formed a missionary group that could meet in the evening.
“We were an ambitious group and enjoyed the work meetings,” Marilyn stated. The group tore up sheets, rolled them into bandages, and wrapped them up to be sent in barrels to Africa. They also collected empty pill bottles.
The group has used several methods to support missions, in addition to paying dues and taking offerings. They have had bake sales, yard sales, white elephant sales, and have sold cards, napkins, and dishcloths.
Two members of the group, Sharon Frank and Judy Hoath, were recognized for the years they spent in Sierra Leone as missionary nurses. Also recognized were missionaries Harold and MaryAnn Hancock, just back from Jamaica, and hometown missionary Pastor Jack Mosley, each expressing their thanks for the support they have received the HUB.
In addition, Pastor James Knoll and wife Elizabeth were recognized and thanked for their many years of missionary service in Japan.
EMS President Audrey Whaley (right) stated, “The Evening Missionary Society faithfully meets every month, praying for and financially supporting missionaries worldwide. Reaching out into the community by collecting needed items for organizations county wide such as Alpha Omega, Kings Cupboard, Band of Hope, Domestic Harmony, and several others, is one of the many activities EMS is involved in.”
For the past several years the group has made homemade cookies, assembled them into platters, and delivered them to the local police and fire departments, emergency services personnel, and the County Road Commission as a thank you for their many services to the community.
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