In his last sermon as Dean of Belfast, at Connor Diocesan MU Festival Eucharist, the Mothers’ Union was praised and challenged by Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey.
The Dean said:
This is the last Sunday service at which I will be present as Dean and Rector.
Your theme for the year is about faithful relationship.
I am delighted that with me today are three friends who were ordained 44 years ago when I was. Canon Robin Lavery, Canon William Bell and the youngster, Dean John Bond. That each of their wives were and remain heavily involved in Mothers’ Union is also most relevant today. On behalf of Roberta and myself, I thank them most sincerely for the friendship of the years. We certainly didn’t live in each others pockets, but we were always there in all the changes and chances of life and ministry.
Life is all about relationships. We were in the Isle of Man last week. Roberta (Mrs McKelvey) was speaking to the MU there. As we travelled about memories of scout camps 45 years ago came flooding in. The memory in particular of Bobby, our bachelor leader. The thankful memory of how
one man’s life and witness affected generations of young men in the wider Antrim area
We all have such people in our own story.
The relationship which helped us on a particular part of our journey – the significant other who gave practical help, or sound advice, or prayerful support or gate opened – mentoring us or simply being there for us.
I was reflecting on the young families I know and how we are challenged to be there for them.
On my phone are the photographs of two of our grand nieces and a grand nephew. Photos taken in January with their Mum and Dad before he left on his current tour to Afghanistan… and they are the photos which undoubtedly would be issued to the press if he failed to return.
I was inspired again by the MU the other day when I visited the Winchester Diocesan MU site – and with lots of military in that area, the MU in that diocese with the help of Lord and Lady Dannatt and the forces Christian Union, have set up a dedicated counseling service. Faithful relationship to Christ and meeting a local identifiable need.
Mothers Union has alway been good at that – nearer to home there have been the contact centres and the student survival cook books.
But when I think of family life today, I think of a number of families and scenarios.
Of Oliver whom I met as a baby two years ago. His mum and dad are both very committed and dedicated professionals. His parents are providing him with love, twin siblings and a good start in life at a nursery across the road at the Deanery. How does the church relate to such young parents?
I recall the school teacher who was here with one of the best school choirs which sings here each year. His description of his and his wife’s average saturday – getting children to the school of music, to games and youth organisations was rather frenetic. How do they fit God in to their relationships with each other and their children? What does Sunday mean to them?
The young media professional and her husband who had their son baptised here, but whom we don’t see for maybe up to six month at a time – but they say they belong here and when they do come to church its here they come. How do we build relationships on such an erratic basis?
And my last current insight on parenting and faith comes from a Methodist woman minister as we stood watching a group of guides rehearse for a service here. I am haunted by her description of the cookery classes she was running for young mothers. Said she, “Now don’t get me wrong this is about boiling carrots and potatoes – nothing swanky”. And how she told me about the three young mothers meeting with their three children with the strollers all lined up in front of the TV, children with soothers in their mouths for a couple of hours at a time… and to cap it all, her account of the stroller-bound youngster whom they had to teach how to walk.
That is my impression of motherhood in this city – from the young professional, caring busy parent – to the three young mums siting in a house with their children.
What does the church, what does the Mothers’ Union have to offer.
I don’t have the answers only a few observations.
In the life of Jesus, it seems to me, that in his relationship with people he demonstrates a compassion and concern. That approach can lead us to a focus of prayer which in time can lead to action as individuals.
And Jesus operated at a variety of levels. Most of the encounters which we recall from the Bible are with individual people – the woman at the well, the healing incidents, his concern for his mother at the wedding at Cana and on the cross at calvary.
But he was a team worker with his disciples, and he also on occasion held the authorities both civil and political to account.
And he did all this to be faithful in his relationship with God.
Mothers Union is an organisation which enables a member to be better witness as an individual – as well as being a member of a world wide group which on behalf of women can take their concerns both to the highest councils within worldwide Anglicanism and to the debating chambers of the United Nations.
Mothers Union helps create faithful relationship from the home, to the street, in the church and in the community, from the parish to a world wide communion, from the local district council to the provincial assembly, to parliament and to the United Nations. That is what you are involved in, and that is why this great organisation must remain true to its founding purpose.
It is founded in the personal spirituality of each individual member:
– In your daily wave of prayer
– In your branch meetings which are encompassed with prayer and worship
– In your branch and area eucharists – and I am delighted that the context of this diocesan festival service is such.
Here is the sustaining power. Here is the food for the faith journey. Here is the strength to attempt and achieve things for God
“Here O my Lord I see thee face to face,
Here faith can touch and handle things unseen.”
Here we can get the power, and the insight,
– to witness to the young mother and her family,
to support the work of the MU at home and abroad,
to respond with initiatives which meet real need or challenge situations as in the Buy Buy Childhood campaign.
But the challenge to the member and to the organisation is to do so with integrity and authenticity, within the tenets and spiritual purpose of this organisation which is built on personal and worldwide prayer, on a spiritual communion with each other and to each other, formed at the Lord’s table and which encircles the globe.
What you in the Mothers’ Union have to offer is:
enrichment of life in Jesus Christ,
support and understanding of family life from a compassionate and informed Christian perspective,
and all within the model of the Christ and the God who sent him, the most supreme exemplar of faithful relationship.
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Within the faithful relationship of Christ to God, in the Mothers’ Union we can offer nothing less than faithful relationship with Christ as the aim and purpose of all our endeavours.