By Betty Jo Hardy, SRCWU Communications Chair

The Salisbury-Rowan Church Women United celebrated 2018 May Friendship Day on May 4 at Trinity Presbyterian Church. The overall theme for 2018 celebrations is “God’s Presence” taken from Colossians 1:17. The theme for the May Friendship Day was “Reaching For Wholeness In Gratitude For God’s Presence.” The greeting and blessing for lunch was given by the host Pastor, Rev. Olen Bruner. Chair of the event, Catherine Rivens gave the statement of the occasion which acknowledges that God is present in everything we do. In all our interactions, we have opportunity to be God’s light in the world. When we view every child as our own, all God’s of children will be fed and have shelter and have their basic needs met. Salisbury and Rowan County offer many locations to volunteer our time, Rowan Helping Ministries, Main Street Missions, Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, Communities in Schools are a few. Rivens quoted Mother Teresa, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.”

SRCWU President Dorothy Gill-Smith and Brenda Cowan, Host Church Representative welcomed the gathering of 123 women and men representing 22 different churches. Program participants were Dottie Clement, First Presbyterian; Flo Peck, First United Church of Christ; Twanda Mitchell, Sandy Ridge AME Zion; Lynn Bolick, St Luke’s Episcopal; Doris Brown, Jerusalem Baptist; Penny Knox, Soldiers Memorial AME Zion; Vickie Kotlarz, Sacred Heart Catholic; Tonya C. Johnson, CWU Treasurer and Montrella Davis, Finance Chair.

An important highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the Young Church Women. 2018 honorees are: Carrie Webster, First United Church of Christ; Maggie Jackson Propst, Sandy Ridge AME Zion; Hillary Shores, Sacred Heart Catholic; Christal Marlin McRae, Ardis Chapel AME Zion; Deona Blake Christ UMC; Rev. Kelly Shrader, Milford Hills United Methodist.

An ingathering of needed products for Good Shepherd Clinic were presented by Dora Correll, Ecumenical Action Chair. The meeting was closed with a Benediction.

The next celebration of CWU will be the Human Rights Celebration on the evening of Aug. 3. The ingathering will be school supplies.