Since 1941, Women of the Church Women United movement have held a vision of Christian unity and prayerful action. CWU was founded as a racially, culturally, theologically, inclusive Christian women’s movement to celebrate unity and diversity and work for peace in the world. 

At its founding, the movement named the United Council of Church Women (UCCW). Women of faith from three interdenominational women’s groups representing 70 denominations convened in Atlantic City, New Jersey in December,1941 while bombs were being dropped in the world was at war. The United Council of Church women’s first action was to circulate a petition signed by 84,000 church women urging the United States at the signing of the United Nations Charter to join and take it full responsibility in a world organization. 

The action received wide publicity in the media and Eleanor Roosevelt later involved the UCCW in a conference at the white house on “how women may share in post war policy making”. Such action remains typical for CWU today, as its quest for information, prayerful action continues. Women of the movement affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world.