The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Side 96

94
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Summer 1967
cas had devoted her life to the needy.
During the first year of operation
a cook book, containing favorite
recipes of members and friends, was
printed. It received such widespread
interest that a second edition was re-
quired to meet the public demand.
Each year various projects were
launched, such as “Country Store
Night”, where numerous articles and
home baking were offered for sale;
plays, with members as actresses, were
staged; fashion shows, with members
as models; teas; coffee parties; smorgas-
bords, Thanksgiving concerts were
sponsored. All affairs met with con-
siderable success.
A Church parade was held each year.
The Board of Deacons have for
many years packed and delivered
hampers to the needy at Christmas
time. The Dorcas set aside the last
meeting in November as “White Gift
Night”. Parcels containing food, candy
and other articles, donated by the mem-
bers, were individually wrapped in gay
Christmas paper and labelled for the
hampers. While they worked together
they sang carols. A delightful evening!
This practice is now carried on by the
First Lutheran Church Women.
The executive committee made every
effort in planning to make the meet-
ings interesting and rewarding. Speak-
ers from many walks of life gave papers
on their field of endeavour; mission-
aries home on furlough from the for-
eign field told their experiences;
artists performed at several meetings;
travellers told of their sojourn in many
lands. One young woman shared her
experiences as a hitch hiker in Europe.
One of the later studies was the work
done by the people in various depart-
ments of the church. The pastor,
deaconess, superintendent of the Sun-
day School and the chairman of the
Board of Deacons gave lectures regard-
ing their particular positions. It gave
a clear insight into the tremendous
amount of organization and planning
it takes to operate a large church pro-
ficiently.
Sunrise Lutheran at Husavik, Man-
itoba, which was owned and operated
by The Lutheran Women’s League,
was supported financially and material-
ly throughout the years by The Dor-
cas. Each year members contributed
hampers of jams and jellies for the
campers. Two children, who needed
assistance, were sponsored each season.
While it was hard work to go to the
camp for clean-up each spring before
camp opened everyone seemed to enjoy
the day. A few coffee breaks helped
to keep going to get the job done. Re-
freshments were supplied for one of
the closing sessions of camp. A com-
mittee would go down in the evening
to serve coffee and dainties to the
campers and their families.
Fellowship! What a beautiful word.
It encompasses friendship, tolerance,
goodwill and service. The Dorcas can
look hack on the fellowship it engen-
derd in the cause of the Lutheran
Church.
The Society i.s grateful for the
splendid support it received from the
public and the co-operation of all those
who helped to make the (work so inter-
esting an rewarding.
Times change and one must go for-
ward. After careful consideration The
Womans’ ssociation and The Dorcas
came to the decision to amalgamate to
be a stronger force in the church. On
January 20th, 1966, The First Luther-
an Church Women was organized.
Thus The Dorcas Society reached
the end of an era after seventeen years
of devoted service to The First Luth-
eran Church.