United Women in Faith
Who We Are

We’re a sisterhood acting in faith to tackle the hard work of the world without hesitation. Driven by God’s love and united in sisterhood, we work to improve the lives of women, children and youth. Every day, we show up. We take action. We get it done. And we invite you to join us. 

 

We awarded the UWF Special Mission Recognition Award to Ms Laxman on 11/23/25 Sunday.  She has devoted her life to helping youth develop and learn both at the local elementary school and in church.

For more information, please visit the UWF national website. 

Join Us at Our Local Meetings! Third Saturday of the Month, 12 noon, Inman Hall, 1700 Lincoln St. Santa Clara, CA
UWF History

In 1869, Clementina Butler and Lois Parker, wives of missionaries to India, made a plea to a group of eight women in Boston about the spiritual and physical needs of poor women in India. They could not be treated by male doctors. Schooling for girls was almost non-existent. Help was desperately needed.

In what would become a lasting legacy of “showing up and getting things done,” the attendees were moved to action. They quickly called another meeting of more women. They wrote a constitution. And in short order, they organized the Methodist Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS). The newly formed organization raised funds and sent educator Isabella Thoburn and Dr. Clara Swain to India.

Upon arrival, Ms. Thoburn began a school with just six young girls that went on to become Isabella Thoburn College, Asia’s first women’s college. Dr. Swain’s medical work resulted in the first women’s hospital in Asia. Both institutions continue to serve the people of India today.

Thoburn returned to the United States to study at Lucy Meyer's Chicago Training School for Missions in Illinois. In 1887, Meyer appointed her as the first house mother and superintendent of the school's new Methodist Deaconess Home for training female deacons. The Deaconness office was the earliest lay-office for women in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Following successive mergers in the 20th c. between methodist and evangelicals, WFMS united with counterparts. In 1972 WFMS was renamed United Methtodist Women (UMW). In 2022 the name changed a second time, for wider Evangelical appeal, to Women in Faith (UWF). From 1869 to today, UWF has been a vital church agency and is a backbone of our congregation in Santa Clara.