Unit History

History of Moline, East Moline and Surrounding Communities Unit of Church Women United (MEMSCU)

According to the By-Laws of the Moline, East Moline and Surrounding Communities Unit of Church Women United (CWU) was developed in 2010 when the Moline CWU Unit and the East Moline-Silvis and Surrounding Area of Church Women United combined to form one unit due to attrition in both. The Moline Unit was established in 1951 with Mrs. George Nordstrom as the first president. Over the unit’s 59 years, more than 30 women have served as president.

Although the exact date of the establishment of the East Moline-Silvis and Surrounding Area unit is lost to obscurity, the women were busily doing the work of the unit by 1963 as United Church Women. During 1967, the name was
officially changed to Church Women United. The first recorded president was Mrs. Walter J. (Sarah) Oliver, wife of the pastor of Gaines Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Subsequently 16 women served as president through the years. Ann Dillbeck of First Lutheran Church, Moline and President of the Moline Unit and Jean McHie of Christ United Methodist Church, East Moline and President of the East Moline-Silvis and Surrounding Areas Unit, served as co-presidents of the merged Unit through 2012. Bernetta Foy, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Moline and Jewell J. Perkins of Gaines Chapel AME Church served as co-vice presidents of the merged unit through 2011.

Cynthia Cornelius of Hampton United Methodist Church and Carol Gustafson of Riverside United Methodist Church, Moline served as co-secretaries through 2011 and Pat Hudson of Elim Covenant Church, Moline and Maria McBride of Hampton United Methodist Church served as co-treasurers through 2012 of the merged unit. Current officers of MEMSCU are: Dr. Claranne Perkins of Gaines Chapel AME Church, East Moline, President; Pat McCullough of Church, Moline, Vice-President; Cindy Wildermuth of Trinity Lutheran Church, Moline, Secretary; and Margaret Baumann of Christ United Methodist Church, East Moline Campus, Treasurer. The merged unit continued to serve its communities with the National CWU Celebrations both units had been offering separately: World Day of Prayer, May Friendship Day and World Community Day. In addition, the merged unit continued to celebrate the Fall Fellowship Celebration with three local units (Iowa Quad Cities Unit, the Rock Island/Milan Unit and MEMSCU) of Church Women United. And a Human Rights Celebration (added in 2012) is celebrated each spring with MEMSCU and the Rock Island/Milan Unit.

Several programs and relationships each unit had prior to the merger were maintained. For example, the new unit continued to support Christian Friendliness (Youth Hope) which had been supported by the Moline Unit for more than 55 years. Additional histories and supporting documents for both units are available at the Rock Island County Historical Society, Moline, IL.

Compiled by Claranne Perkins 2021