Thursday 9th August is Mary Sumner Day

Thursday 9th August is the day that Mothers’ Union members and the church celebrate the life of Mary Sumner who founded the organisation in 1876.

The modern Mothers’ Union has a range and depth of work that far

exceeds Mary Sumner’s original vision of a circle of prayer upholding

family life; it now has 4 million members in 83 countries. Yet prayer

continues to be at the heart of the witness of members who in the

Wave of Prayer maintain  a constant chain of intercession across global

membership. Members continue to promote family life through parenting

group work, marriage support and advocating for family-

supportive policies whilst at the same time upholding families affected by

poverty, homelessness, imprisonment, relationship break-down and

prison sentences. Advocating for women at the Commission on the Status

of Women at the United Nations, Literacy programmes in Africa, Away

From It All holidays in the UK,   all highlight the concern

that members continue to feel for disadvantaged families.  To find out more check out the website www.themothersunion.org

I will be joining the Wakefield Diocese Mothers’ Union at their celebratory Service and Flower Festival at Huddersfield parish Church.

Rosemary

Mothering Sunday is on Sunday 18th March

MAKE A MOTHERS’ DAY

This year Mothering Sunday is on Sunday 18th March 2012. As you remember your mother, Mothers’ Union is asking you to do something a little different. Instead of flowers or a box of chocolates why not buy her an ethical gift that will support another mother. Alternatively you can give a gift in memory of your mother, as a tribute to a life-time of caring. Give a gift that gives twice over.

Will you stand with mothers all over the world, and give an ethical gift this Mothering Sunday? Whatever gift you choose you can know that it will be funding our work in some of the world’s most deprived communities. Each gift represents a part of the cost crucial to running a Mothers’ Union project. With your help we hope to raise over £100,000 for vital projects in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as globally. A gift, however small, can make a real difference to a mother’s life.

Gifts start from £3 that will help a mother feed her family at a time of crisis. This gift will go towards supplying food, blankets, mosquito nets and other emergency supplies to areas affected by drought, violence or natural disasters. Another gift of £18 will give communities a better environment now and for future generations. Women are encouraged to build enclosed stoves to save on fuel and help protect their eyes from smoke. Facilitators train communities to collect and save rain water as well as work to improve soil. This means they can grow more crops and improve their health and nutrition.  

Please look at the website www.makeamothersday.org  to find out more or order your free copy of the catalogue by calling 020 7222 5533.

 

 

Easter Eggs!

The sales pressure is on again in our supermarkets and shops. I have been amazed at the alacrity that the pitch has changed from Christmas goods to Easter eggs and chicks! Easter isn’t until the 8th April and we are still in January, more than 2 months away.

In the Mothers’ Union we have been challenging children, parents or their guardians to think about their consumer habits and to challenge the influence of commercialisation within the home. As individuals we can feel quite small against the power of commercialisation aimed at you and me and our children but we have a choice whether to buy yet or at all. Whenever we purchase anything we should ask the following questions:-

1. Why do I want to buy it?

2. How often will I use it?

3. Can I afford it?

4. What will happen if I don’t buy it?

We call it the Bye Buy Test to help us think about who or what is influencing our shopping. The choices are ours and we should make our own decisions and not feel pressured to buy now.

 

Rosemary

Encouraged at progress so far!

Mothers’ Union is pleased and encouraged by the progress so far in securing greater protection for children from the pressures of a consumer and sexualised society.    

Yesterday Reg Bailey Chief executive of the Mothers’ Union met with the Prime Minister, Sarah Teather, Minister for Children and other stakeholders to review the progress made on his June recommendations, and to evaluate what still needs to be implemented to achieve the goals of the report ‘Let Children be Children.’

He says “In June I set out what I believed were the best measures to protect children from commercialisation and premature sexualisation. Giving parents’ confidence to be parents, to set boundaries, and find support from industry and regulators would, I hoped, create more space for children to be themselves – without the constant bombardment of sexualised images and pressure to own the most desirable products and clothes. It seemed to me, however, that all responsible adults have a role to play in creating a more family friendly society.”

The launch of ‘www.ParentPort.org.uk a website for parents set up by the UK’s media regulators will help to enforce standards across the media to protect children from inappropriate material.  The news that major internet providers will now require customers to ‘opt – in’ to receive adult content, rather than the less effective ‘opt-out’ control that currently exists has to be a step forward.  However, we would like to see more providers follow suit. 

There remain a number of recommendations that are more of a challenge to implement for example  music video ratings and the sexualised ‘wallpaper(mentioned in the Bailey Report) that affects children outside the home.   

 Mothers’ Union members will continue to campaign for and promote a culture and culture-based values that do not define a person by what they wear or what they own, but one that respects everyone equally and without discrimination.

Reg:  “Well, for me, success would be a change in parents’ confidence, that would show that the reforms have really started to work. And I’ll encourage businesses to be decisive. The outcome we are seeking is far too important to slip off the agenda.”

Rosemary

 

Back to Basics

Back to Basics was the theme for the recent Mothers’ Union Marketing Conference that provided an opportunity for the organisations ‘marketing’ representatives to come together at the Hayes Centre in Derbyshire.  Back to Basics means a return to previously held values and it is true that the vision that Mary Sumner had for the organisation in 1876 still remains important but it has been moulded and changed to be relevant to families in the twenty first century.

As you can read on the website (www.themothersunion.org)in 83 countries, our members share one heartfelt vision – to bring about a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships. This is not a vague hope, but a goal we actively pursue through prayer, programmes, policy work and community relationships. By supporting marriage and family life, especially through times of adversity, we tackle the most urgent needs challenging relationships and communities.

Our members are not all mothers, or even all women: single, married, parents, grandparents, or young adults just beginning to express their social conscience. For all 4 million members what Mothers’ Union provides is a network through which they can serve Christ in their own community – through prayer, financial support and actively working at the grassroots level in programmes that meet local needs. We lobby local and national governments on issues affecting family life and campaign to challenge legislation that neglects the vulnerable and marginalised. We are also represented at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.”

The ‘Back to Basics’ Conference  was an opportunity to learn new skills or practice old ones in the important task of getting the message over about the vision and achievements of Mothers’ Union worldwide to people both within the organisation but also outside of it.   How do we turn telling everyone about Mothers’ Union into something that is manageable and achievable.

3 Questions formed the basis for everything that was discussed and thought about.

Who do you want to talk to?  What do you want to say to them? How are you going to say it? 

If you follow the link you can read our Annual Review giving a full account of the outreach of Mothers’ Union http://www.themothersunion.org/annualreview0405.aspx you will find plenty of facts to use when talking about Mothers’ Union.

We need a positive message. Positive people attract other positive people! 

Rosemary

Between Centre & Local

From centre to local and back again!

Mothers’ Union conferences are a two way dialogue. A learning zone for us all. Each year in the UK & Ireland we indulge in a conference season that brings together the staff from Mary Sumner House & Dioceasan Leaders for face to face sessions to exchange ideas, discover new skills, and share fresh information and forward thinking.

Most are volunteers and in the Mothers’ Union we value the huge contribution our volunteers make to the running of the Organisation, enabling members through the Organisation’s objectives to impact on society both through centrally managed projects and local initiatives.

Mothers’ Union is amazingly diverse but at the same time incredibly unified and members are passionate about making a difference in their own communities. It is the bond between members that creates such strength in the Organisation.

The Treasurers and Secretaries have been first to meet this year. These are the backroom guys, who so often work industriously behind the scenes quietly keeping tabs on what is spent in the name of Mothers’ Union, until asked to explain the annual accounts. It is the Secretaries who are often the first point of contact that enquirers have with the Organisation and create the first impression of Mothers’ Union to the rest of the world.

 

 

Their roles are specific but it is vital that they are updated with the wider picture of the activities of Mothers’ Union. It is the acts of working together that will strengthen our impact in society.

Rosemary

Out in force at the Cheltenham Racecourse!

Mothers’ Union is out in force this weekend at the Cheltenham Racecourse Gloucestershire, for  the Greenbelt Festival .  

Our main feature this year will display a rural Uganda home featuring the model homes of the family Life Project.  Catch an interactive talk – say Bye to buying childhood – between Reg Bailey Chief Executive of Mothers’ Union and independent chair of the Government Review into the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood and our Social policy Officer Rachel Aston.  Share practical ideas to equip parents and children to be aware of the pressures and how to take action.

The new book Hand in Hand will be showcased by one of our parenting facilitators.  It encourages families to explore and enjoy faith together and will be presented in a workshop based on this useful new resource.   Also visit the Mothers’ Union  stall in the G Source exhibition.

Rosemary

The 9th August is Mary Sumner Day !

Tomorrow is Mary Sumner Day commemorating the founder of Mothers’ Union. Mary established Mothers’ Union a 135 years ago in 1876.  I often wonder, if she were alive today, what she would think of this modern society that she started all those years ago.     Would she  be surprised to discover that the membership has reached in excess of 4 million and stretches over 83 countries.    I hope that she would think that the record of achievements are continuing what she set out to do.   Hers was an outward vision that recognised what people needed and then delivered it. 

Tomorrow members across the globe will pray for the future advancement of Mothers’ Union.  Who we are and what we stand for, rooted in the Christian Faith and underpinned by prayer has meant much to women worldwide.  Members have grown in faith and confidence in their lives because of the opportunities to join together in worship, outreach, study and quiet days of reflection.  Sometimes Mothers’ Union has provided a place where people have discovered faith.  As members we meet and share good and bad experiences about family life and gain confidence and strength.  Confidence literally means ‘believing together’ and indicates immediately relationship with one another, trust and faith.  Values that are right at the heart of MU belief.  

The Worldwide Mothers’ Union is a rich pattern of different parts that mke up the whole, where each part has different ways of working, different priorities, challenges and different ways of being MU.  Yet we are all united in one vision, to show that God’s love is seen in loving, respectful and flourishing  relationships.

Rosemary