18 Days Until The UCC Anniversary

During World War II, women of the United Church of Canada played a pivotal role in both
supporting the war effort and serving their communities. As the war intensified, many women in
the church became deeply involved in humanitarian and social services. During the war, the
church’s women were continually encouraged to supply clothing, food, and knitted goods for the
men in uniform, and they responded by establishing over one thousand War Services Clubs in
congregations across the country. The members of these groups took the yarn, cloth, and thread
provided by the Canadian Red Cross and returned these materials in the form of socks, sweaters,
and other garments for Canada’s soldiers. By the end of 1944, United Church women had
supplied 846,927 pairs of socks, 296,533 pairs of mittens and gloves, 1,068,560 “miscellaneous
sewn articles” and 633,522 “miscellaneous knitted articles”.

In addition to their support on the home front, many women from the United Church of Canada
entered the workforce and volunteer services in unprecedented numbers. Some women served as
nurses, while others took on roles in factories, supporting the production of war materials.
Women also worked in auxiliary military services, such as the Canadian Women’s Army Corps
(CWAC), where they provided essential administrative, clerical, and communication services.

The war period was a time of significant social change, and women of the United Church of
Canada proved to be resilient and resourceful in navigating this shift. They not only supported
the war effort but also made strides in asserting their presence in public and social life,
advocating for peace, and raising awareness about the ongoing challenges faced by soldiers and
their families. The involvement of women in these various roles helped strengthen the
community fabric and laid the groundwork for greater gender equality in the post-war years.