Ordinary people are doing extraordinary things in the name of Mothers’ Union both at home and abroad, Diocesan President Joy Gordon stated in her address in Whitechurch on Mothering Sunday.
She told the congregation in the parish church where she is a parishioner that from the very beginning of Mother’s Union, the founder Mary Sumner faced the challenges of her time in society. That tradition is continued today when in Ireland many families face unemployment and debt, are struggling to care for their children or suffer domestic violence and breakdown in relationships.
Mrs Gordon pointed out that in recent times the opinion of Mothers’ Union had been sought on same sex marriage and the upcoming abortion legislation. “Mothers’ Union as an integral part of the Church of Ireland, will not ignore or avoid these issues but we will speak out in support and nurture of family life and endeavour to be as relevant today as in Mary Sumner’s time,” she said.
Mother’s Union makes a difference around the world, the Diocesan President stated. Membership has increased worldwide from around one million to 4.1 million in the last 10 years. However, she said that 48% of their members are from India and 49% from Africa leaving the remaining three percent to fundraise for financial support of overseas members. “This is very obviously unsustainable so MU is committed to enabling and empowering our members to become self–sufficient and responsible for their own futures,” she explained.
Outlining Mothers’ Union’s plans for the future, she said the organisation would be focusing on three key areas: Praying Campaigning and Enabling. “Whether it is at home or abroad, our work, our beliefs, our mission is making a difference, changing lives and bringing hope,” Mrs Gordon said.
The full transcript of Joy Gordon’s address is reproduced below.
Happy Mother’s Day! Traditionally, Mothering Sunday was the only day young girls and boys in service were allowed home to visit their mothers bringing gifts such as garden flowers and Simnel cake. Mothering Sunday was also a day when people visited their “Mother Church”– the church in which they were baptised.
Yesterday, I attended an All–Ireland Trustee meeting. At this meeting we reflected on what ‘Mothering’ meant to us as individuals. We shared our reflections with each other…. For some ‘Mothering’ meant love, warmth stability, self–sacrifice, unconditional love, acceptance! We discussed what ‘Mothering’ meant to us within our church family and as a Christian. I would encourage you this afternoon to spend a little time reflecting on this and ask yourself the same questions.
As many of you already know, I am Diocesan President for Mothers’ Union, here in Dublin and Glendalough and, this is my fourth year term of office and it remains a privilege and honour to be entrusted with the leadership of this wonderful, diverse, relevant, Christian organisation.
Last year was a very special year for us in Mothers’ Union in Ireland; as we celebrated our 125th Anniversary of the opening of the first Mothers’ Union branch in Raheny by Annabella Hayes. We had lots of events organised to celebrate this; Our Mums in May Tea Parties, Visit to Aras an Uachtaran for our older members, the wonderful Songs of Praise, Family day out to the Zoo, and our Celebration dinner in September. It was lovely to see members, non–members, friends and supporters and for me it was especially great to welcome those from Whitechurch.
We launched our new Diocesan project: Away from it All (AFIA). With the financial support from our branches we aim to fund short breaks for those who would benefit from some precious time away together. We wrote to the clergy in this diocese and asked them to nominate a family or carers that would benefit with a short break/ holiday. I am delighted to say that we were in a position to offer help with 4 separate and very deserving applications.
Mothers’ Union Membership has increased worldwide from around one million to 4.1 million members in the last ten years. In response to this increase in worldwide membership, MSH has increased board representation from around the world to ensure that our international membership can make their contribution to our plans for the future.
Last week I was fortunate to meet Mothers Union trustee/workers, representing Zambia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Ghana and Mozambique as well as well as England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
We truly are an international Christian organisation that all share the one vision of sharing God’s love through loving, respectful relationships, reaching out to others, changing lives and bringing hope.
Mothers’ Union is making a difference in lives around the world.
We are united in our mission to love and serve and to express our Christian faith, supporting marriage and family life and nurturing faith.
We express our Christian faith by spreading the good news, the Gospel, of a God who loves and cares for us all. This is not only about what we say but this is also about our actions and what we do. I quote St Francis, “Preach the gospel at all times and only use words whenever necessary”.
Here is this diocese our Mothers’ Union members freely give of their time and talents to love and serve in a voluntary capacity in our branches, parishes and wider community. This has become so apparent in our many projects. We have received many letters of gratitude from Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Holles Street, Rotunda and from our Christmas shoebox appeal for Darndale Crèche. MU was out in force helping to feed our youth at Urban Soul last summer. Emergency overnight bags have been prepared for hospitals. Gift parcels at Christmas for the women’s prison, clothes appeal for the women’s refuge. These are just a few examples of our way of expressing our Christian faith in action.
In our values as an organisation, we are firmly rooted in a voluntary ethos, centred on mutual respect and collaboration. As members we do as we do in a voluntary capacity, not for money but it is what we believe God wants us to do! Our governance, leadership and activities are driven by and undertaken through members within their own communities worldwide.
If I was asked what Mothers’ Union was all about and why I am so passionate about Mothers Union, to put it in a nutshell, likes our strapline says “Mothers’ Union is Christian care for families” and not I might add …….. “Care for Christian families”
Looking to the future Mothers Union has been focusing on three key areas: Praying, Campaigning, and Enabling.
Prayer, we can never under estimate the power of prayer and there is no doubt that prayer is central to and underpins all that we do. Sometimes we feel that is all that we can do but this should never be undervalued and this may be all that we need to do. Every day at 12midday throughout the world MU members pause to pray for each other uniting us in the MU Wave of prayer. This global continuity of prayer creates our understanding of shared ministry and partnership.
Campaigning is something that we are all very familiar with, whether it’s our Commercialisation of Children campaign or our presence at the Commission on the Status of Women held at the United Nations. Campaigning for social justice for those on the margins is one of our strongest and most effective strategies. We have campaigned against female genital mutilation, submitted statements of recommendation, calling on governments to eliminate the health and education inequalities, poverty, hunger, discrimination and isolation that affect women.
Enabling: Enabling is perhaps the hardest phrase to comprehend but it simply means equipping members to participate in their communities. At present, 48% of our members are from India, 49% are from Africa so that leaves the remaining 3% to fund raise and financially support our members overseas. This is very obviously unsustainable so MU is committed to enabling and empowering our members to become self–sufficient and responsible for their own futures. Training is a vital tool to ensure members can have the most effective impact within communities .Mothers Union offers thousands of workshops and training days to members every year to ensure all its volunteers are as effective within communities as possible. An example of this would be health education in community births, workshops on subsistence farming, income generation skills, such as soap making, our parenting facilitation courses. Our Literacy and Development programme in Burundi has been running for the past 10 years, we were thrilled to receive a grant from the Bishops Appeal to continue this wonderful programme. Our own youth worker here in Whitechurch, Andy Mc Cormack, witnessed our work in Burundi first hand on a recent visit there. His impression of Mothers Union was of mild mannered ladies doing good works but after his visit he described the Mothers Union as the Mafia!!
Throughout Lent, Horace (Canon Horace McKinley rector) has been guiding us magnificently through his thoughts and reflections on prayer. My own involvement with MU is very much part of my faith journey. Prayer is central to all that I do. You may have noticed that in our strategy for looking forward to the future of MU, our first strategy is prayer. Before we can even consider campaigning and enabling we seek God’s guidance in prayer. All our work is underpinned in prayer. In the reading today we read of Mary and Hannah, both prayerful and faithful women. Hannah’s complete trust and faith as she prays to the Lord so that she can bear a child. The Lord listens and answers her prayer and her faith is so strong that she is prepared to hand him back with love and confidence in the Lord. Then Mary as she stood by the cross. How can she have felt, looking up at her dying son nailed to the wooden cross? I can only imagine the shock, numb disbelief and deep pain she must have felt. But in both these readings we find Mary and Hannah ever present and ever faithful. Both prepared to face and accept the consequences of their prayers, I know we are very familiar with these readings but if we were to stop and pause and reflect on these women, on their faith, their trust, and their lifetime of prayers!
Prayer for me is twofold. Firstly: Words and secondly: Action. There are the words of prayer, which can be heartfelt and meaningful. But what use are words without action! As Christians we are called to ‘act’ and not sit back.
When speaking recently to some of our overseas members on the difficulties they face on a daily basis, I commented on how strong and vibrant their faith and prayer life was. Their reply to me was and I quote “we don’t know where our next meal is coming from, we don’t know if we have enough water, we don’t know if we will sleep safely tonight. But the one thing that we do know and can be sure of …….is God. He is the one constant in our lives and we don’t need anything else!!!” Now that’s something we could all think about.
Mothers’ Union has served society through many faithful women such as Mary and Hannah.
From the very beginning Mary Sumner, the founder of Mothers’ Union, faced the challenges in her time and society – a time when it was almost unheard of for a woman in her position to speak out in public. The challenges continue to face us today, here in Ireland where so many families face the nightmare of unemployment and debt; families are struggling to care for their children; domestic violence and breakdown in relationships. In recent times, our opinion is been sought in relation to same sex marriage and the upcoming abortion legislation. Mothers Union as an integral part of the Church of Ireland, will not ignore or avoid these issues but we will speak out in support and nurture of family life and endeavour to be as relevant today as in Mary Sumner’s time.
Overseas, mothers in sub Saharan Africa strive to feed their children; women in Uganda where domestic violence is a factor of daily life; families decimated through HIV/AIDS; women struggling to provide education for their children in order to break the cycle of poverty. Vivian in Uganda runs a home for young girls who are pregnant and forced to leave their homes because they have brought disgrace on their family – although in many cases the pregnancy is as a result of rape.
Today ordinary people are doing extraordinary things in the name of Mothers’ Union,
Whether it is at home or abroad, our work, our beliefs, our mission is making a difference, changing lives and bringing hope.
As Mothers’ Union members, we have achieved so much that has enriched the lives of others and of course our organisation. In the words of our Mothers’ Union prayer, we have responded to our Lord’s calling in love and service.
I would like to finish with Mary Sumner’s personal prayer. This prayer is I believe, is a base for everything that is done in the name of Mothers’ Union.
All this day O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do thou by thy spirit quicken, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I live”. Amen