Where faith, friendship, and mission grew together
“The design of this organization is to form a Women’s Mission Circle in every church… and to labour for the evangelization of the women of heathendom.” —1877 Baptist Yearbook of Ontario & Quebec
For generations, mission circles were the heart of the Baptist women’s movement.
In churches across Ontario and Quebec, women gathered each month to pray, learn about mission work, and support those serving around the world. They read letters from missionaries, shared stories of the work, and brought small offerings to support it.
Most women in those years had little or no income of their own. Yet they found creative ways to give—saving pennies from household budgets, using one less egg in a cake recipe, or setting aside small amounts through careful spending. What seemed like tiny sacrifices, offered faithfully, added up to something remarkable.
By the mid-20th century, mission circles had spread widely. In 1956, the 75th anniversary of the Baptist women’s organization, 433 circles were active across Ontario and Quebec, bringing together more than 10,000 women. Together they raised $129,000 for mission work—the equivalent of roughly $1.5 million today.
But mission circles were about much more than fundraising. Within these gatherings, women found friendship, encouragement, and spiritual growth. Young girls were welcomed and mentored, often encountering the message of Christ for the first time.
One such girl was Barbara Simmonds of Uxbridge, who first attended a church girls’ group after a school friend invited her. Decades later, the friendships she formed there remain among the most meaningful in her life.
From small monthly gatherings grew a community that shaped generations of women in faith and mission.