Women's Fellowship

In 1930, Sister Frances Green, the tutor of Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast, started the fellowship with six women. The 1932 Synod approved the fellowship as a uniformed organization. Thereafter, more branches began to spread throughout the country. Sister Rose Little, Headmistress of Accra Wesley Girls’ High School, also started a branch in Accra which spread to Nsawam, Aburi, Somanya. The first stwenty-three (23) founding members included Mrs. Grace F. Bart Addison, Mrs. Carlis Paitoo, Lady Dina Quist, Lady Charlotte Quarshie Idun and Mary Perigrino Aryea of Accra. 

ANNUAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES 

 The Kumasi Fellowship was initiated by Sister Persis Beer, Headmistress of Mmofraturo School in 1934. Sister Kathleen White assisted by Mrs. Grace Baidoe also formed another branch at Effiduase. Thereafter, Sister Irene Maison who had then succeeded Sister Frances Green at Wesley Girls’ High School became the first full time National Organizer of the Women’s Fellowship. Her ability to speak the Mfantse Language enabled her to spread the fellowship much faster. Branches were formed at Saltpond, Anomabo, Sekondi, Winneba, Tarkwa and Sefwi Bekwai, until she returned to England in 1953 for good. Then Mrs. Julia Abban, sister of Rev. F.C.F. Grant, was appointed the first African Full time Women Worker in 1949. It was Sister Irene Morrow, a missionary from Ireland and in charge of the Kwadaso Women’s Training Centre, who founded the Girls’ Fellowship in 1964 at Takoradi.

 

After the 1939 earthquake, when the colonial government assigned the Red Cross Society and the Methodist Women’s Fellowship to distribute blankets to victims in Accra, Mrs. Odonkor, wife of the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, impressed with the performance of the Methodist Women, joined the fellowship as an affiliate member in 1945. She later started the Women’s Class (Fellowship) in the Presbyterian Church. Pleased with the good work of the fellowship, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Agyeman Prempeh II, his queen mother and her elders funded the building and setting up of the Kwadaso Methodist Women Training Centre which officially opened by Mrs. Butler, wife of the Ashanti Regional Commissioner, and dedicated in June 1948.

Longest serving Connexional Secretary was Mrs. Diana Holdbrook Smith, followed by Mrs. Sophia Moore who became the first woman vice president. Others are Mrs. Adwowa Godwyll and Mrs. Hager Ekua Intarmah.

AIM OF THE FELLOWSHIP

To unite Christian women in the Connexion one with another, and with Jesus Christ, so that the spiritual life of each member may be enriched, and that, all working together, will joyfully give the fullest support to the Church in Christ.

PROMISES

I promise to obey Jesus Christ. I promise to make my home a Christian home. I promise to be loyal to my Fellowship I promise to take part in some definite Christian service.

IMPACT OF THE FELLOWSHIP

It was the Fellowship which trained the first affiliated Presbyterian Woman to form the Presbyterian Women’s Class in Accra. The first Woman to enter the Methodist Deaconess order, Sister Okine, was a member of the Women’s Fellowship. Since then, the Fellowship became the nursing ground to prepare women into the ordained ministry of the Methodist Church, Ghana.
It is the most widespread organization within the Methodist Church, Ghana.

THE FELLOWSHIP’S SLOGAN

“Make you His service your delight 
He’ll make your wants His care”
MHB 427 verse 6

THE TREE OF LIFE

This is the official emblem for the World Federation of Methodist Women which originated from China. It is an evergreen tree signifying continuous life and vitality. Its branches stretch upwards and downwards: symbol of our thoughts and actions reaching up to God and downward towards our neighbors. The tree bears twelve fruits namely, Evangelism, Medical, Education, Literature, Children, Youth, Home, Rural, Economic, International friendship, Temperance and World Peace. (1 Cor. 4: 1-2)