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In 1893, Mrs. T. B. Hilburn, the pastor's wife, realizing the need for organized work for the women of the church, called a meeting at the parsonage home and organized a weekly prayer service and Bible study. Although only three women were present, they were not discouraged, but hopeful for additional members. Those first three were Mrs. T.B. Hilburn, Mrs. John Gorman, and Mrs. W.C. Streety. Their numbers grew as they continued their weekly meetings.

Three years later comes this quotation from the minutes: "The ladies of the M.E. Church, South, met at Sister Hanes' home on Tuesday afternoon, January 21, 1896, to organize a Parsonage and Home Mission Society and elect officers: President, Mrs. L. H. Shannon; Vice President, Mrs. Paul Persons; Second Vice President, Mrs. P. A. Gates; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. E. B. Walker; Recording Secretary and Treasurer Miss Willie Garrett. Connectional members: Six:" There were 14 present.

In 1909, a Foreign Mission Society was organized, with Mrs. C.A. Evans as its first president. This was a controversial group, for few of the women favored foreign missions. But the two groups continued to gather, the Home Mission group meeting one week and Foreign Mission group the following week.

Though the women's organization has been called by various names throughout the years, its purpose has remained virtually the same. It seems fair to say that without this group of women the church would not have been able to accomplish all the things it has accomplished.

It was in 1915, that the Home Mission and the Foreign Mission groups merged to become The Women's Missionary Society (WMS). The name "Women's Society of Christian Service" was adopted in 1938, when the Methodist Protestant Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, united. It remained the WSCS until 1968, at the coming together of The Methodist Church and the United Evangelical Brethren Church. When the church became known as The United Methodist Church, the women's group took the name United Methodist Women, or UMW.

Across the years this organization of Methodist women has been the cornerstone of women's service to the church and community, and deeply concerned and committed to meeting the needs of all people of every creed or color everywhere.

The special projects undertaken by this group have been too numerous and varied to even attempt to list, but have included:

• Regular prayer, worship, and bible study meetings and projects to provide for the needs of the parsonage family, including furniture, maintenance of the parsonage, etc.
• Affiliation with District Conference groups
• Shipments of gifts to young men from the church in the service during war years
• Actively helping with Vacation Bible School
• Collection and shipment of clothing and linens to Red Cross and World Relief
• Special programs whose focus is on foreign missions, and collection of funds for that purpose
• For several years, honored DeLeon High School's graduation class with a dinner, picnic, reception, or other very special recognition
• Hosted District Training Conferences on a rotating basis
• Sponsored special recreational activities for the youth of the church
• Took responsibility for housing and serving meals to evangelists and singers who came for summer revivals
• Supported placing Upper Room Devotional Materials in the hospital and nursing homes
• In 1959 published the first church cook book as a fundraiser to support W.S.C.S. missions and charities

Through the years, members of DeLeon's W.S.C.S. have provided leadership at the Central Texas Conference level also. During the 1940's through 1960's, the following served the Brownwood District as well as the Central Texas Conference:

Other activities of this group in more recent years are:

• Supported the Little Children's Care Center by providing volunteer workers and special occasion field trips and entertainment
• Purchased new tricycles and toys for the children
• Appoints committees for the Harvest Festival to organized and provided goods for Gift Shop: Flower arrangements, wreaths, door swags, candles, aprons, pillows, etc.
• Country Kitchen: all varieties of baked goods
• Greeting Cards
• Luncheon bar: sandwiches, stew, pie
• Items for evening auction sales
• Handmade quilts, wall hangings, crocheted afghans, etc.
• Food for barbeque supper
• Purchases school supplies for needy children
• Made new Chrismons during a series of workshops for the Sanctuary Christmas tree.
• Continues to give monthly birthday parties for residents of DeLeon's two nursing homes, serving cake, cookies, punch, and a gift for each resident having a birthday that month.
• For five consecutive years has been cited by the Conference as a FIVE STAR UNIT, having met Conference criteria for programming, bible study, missions, and community outreach.
• Annually, U.M.W. conducts the 11:00 a.m. worship service (always the third Sunday of September).
• Serves luncheons for bereaved families on the day of the funeral.

This group of dedicated women continues to untiringly serve this church and community as those changing needs occur.

The U.M.W. was blessed to receive a trust fund from the estate of James H. Wilkerson. The James H. & Altha M. Wilkerson Trust Fund has helped to underwrite many projects from education supplies to equipment for the church.

On May 2, 2001, the women's group was gifted with another trust from the Edna Myrl Stewart estate. Interest from the trust will be used for various local and foreign projects that were dear to Mrs. Stewart's heart.