Ladies Aid Society

Our Mission

To continue with the tradition of quilting; to unite and promote friendship and fellowship with the women of the Shared Ministry Church; to use our talents in order to raise funds for the Shared Ministry church; and to share the love of Christ with each other and members of the community.

Anyone interested in quilting or helping with our craft projects please come and join us on a Wednesday. We meet from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Anyone in need of information call or see Bonnie Miller 610-395-5230.

Ladies Aid Officers: Aletha Schade, President and GeorgAnn Hafer, Secretary.

Our History

The Ladies Aid Society has been meeting once a week, in the church, for 75 years. The Ladies Aid Society of The Western Salisbury Union Church was organized on December 26, 1925. The first officers were president, Mrs. Edgar Fink; vice-president, Mrs. George Bortz; secretary, Mrs. Edward Strauss; asst secretary, Mrs. Stanley Weida; and treasurer, Mrs. Fred Laudenslager.

Forty-one members joined at the first meeting. By the second meeting, held in January 1926, just a month later, the membership had increased to one hundred and ninety-three. In the first five years, they finished 106 quilts and donated almost $5000 to the church.

In the early years, the ladies spent countless hours in the church kitchen preparing banquets, suppers, and Thanksgiving Dinners. At the church's 185th anniversary in 1926, they served about one thousand people. They made and sold dozens and dozens of doughnuts for Fastnacht Day and held countless hoagie sales and bake sales.

In the 1930s, the Ladies Aid directed, produced, and performed in Pennsylvania German plays. Members presented some plays as often as twenty times. They provided programs for lodges, granges, fire stations and many churches in the surrounding area, and entertainment for the guests at the County Home.

When meetings had to be canceled due to weather conditions, the ladies continued to work in their homes. They crocheted and embroidered pillow cases, made aprons and sunbonnets, embroidered tablecloths and many other items. They presented the lovely pillowcases to newlyweds, and sold handsewn items to raise funds for improvements and furnishings for the church.

In this new century, the ladies continue to gather in the chapel every Wednesday, to quilt and enjoy each other's company. We currently have thirteen active quilters. There is a waiting list for quilts to be quilted. Most of the time it is a one and a half to two year wait.

Thank you for reading our story, and feel free to join us. We would love to have you!