Members and friends of the Bethel/Newtown Unit of Church Women United (CWU) learned what a penny can do last Friday. The worldwide collection of pennies, donated with prayer, raised $64,500 last year that funded programs in Africa, Asia, Canada, Unit
Members and friends of the Bethel/Newtown Unit of Church Women United (CWU) learned what a penny can do last Friday. The worldwide collection of pennies, donated with prayer, raised $64,500 last year that funded programs in Africa, Asia, Canada, United States, Middle East, and Europe.
Church Women United May Friendship Day Celebration held the afternoon of May 6 at Trinity Episcopal Church celebrated the Fellowship of the Least Coin. Members and friends of the local CWU were privileged to have three members of the state CWU as guests, who showed slides and spoke about the history of the Fellowship of the Least Coin, which started in 1956, not as a fundraising project, but as an ecumenical movement of prayer for peace and reconciliation.
 The idea emerged from a vision from God to Shanti Solomon of India. She joined the Pacific Mission Team of seven women from different countries who traveled to Asian countries after World War II. Dr Margaret Shannon, who later became general director of CWU, organized the mission on behalf of the Presbyterian Church of the United States.
At the May 6 program, Virginia Harris, retiring state chairman of the Fellowship of the Least Coin, gave an âoff the cuff,â impassioned speech on the wonders of the project before the collection of pennies.
Linda Manganaro, worship chairman of the local unit and from Newtown Congregational Church, arranged for the guests to join the local group. Shirley Roman of Christ the King Lutheran Church, coordinated the worship program surrounding the Fellowship of the Least Coin presentation. The Rev Sue Klein and Barbara Gates of the Newtown United Methodist Church provided music and narrations as did Barbara Bigham and Jeane Roberts of Newtown Congregational Church, Barbara Gorham of the Walnut Hill Community Church, Norma Gray of Trinity Episcopal Church, and Connie Hewett of St Rose Roman Catholic Church.
Programs were prepared by Shannon Hicks of Newtown Congregational Church. The Rev Kathleen Adams-Shepherd, Trinity Rector, gave the benediction before adjourning to the library for refreshments and fellowship.