Mothering Sunday

Whos the mummy?

The celebration of Mothering Sunday has changed greatly over the past decades. In some parishes it remains one of the days when a high number of occasional churchgoers can be expected, but in others it has been superseded by the commercial Mothers Day. For many families, the main focus of the day is treating Mum so getting up early to go to church is not on the agenda! For those who do come to church there might be mixed emotions many older people will no longer have a mother. Others may be separated, even estranged, from children, while others struggle with childlessness. Alongside all this are the cultural stereotypes about mothers which may not sit easily with a church which knows God as both father and mother, and which embraces the joys and pains of life. This service could be used at a time other than Sunday morning, and includes traditional elements as well as making space to acknowledge the mixed feelings that people bring.

Preparation
You will need

Enough small flat stones for everyone A pink designer-style handbag containing pink chocolate hearts, a pink fluffy toy, pink bath salts, a romantic novel or DVD, a pink coffee mug, some fancy make-up in a pink case A scruffy carrier bag containing an old purse with a few coins, a plate, a tea towel or floor cloth, scruffy bit of childrens clothing, sticking plaster, tissues Five small flower vases each containing a single rose or some simple garden flowers According to local custom, flowers to give away on Mothering Sunday.

wE GATHER
opening hymn informal welcome Formal introduction
Minister All Voice All Voice All Voice The Lord be with you. And also with you. When Gods people pray for help help us today. When Gods people pray for help, God listens hear us today. When Gods people pray for help, God listens and rescues them

key lectionary readings

NB: Please see note on lectionary readings in How to use this book (p. XX). Lent is a season that requires the set lectionary readings for the day in a Church of England principal service. Exodus 2.110 Mothers and others Psalm 34.1120 God the rescuer Colossians 3.1217 How to live John 19.25 27 Mothering others

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MoTHERiNG SuNDAY All Voice All rescue us today. When Gods people pray for help, God listens and rescues them from their troubles Amen! All Minister Voice We are sorry that we have forgotten Gods great love for us. Lord, have mercy. lord, have mercy. May the God of love and power forgive you and free you from your sins, heal and strengthen you by his Spirit, and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.1

we say sorry Making connections

Minister In all our services we take time to think about things that have gone wrong, even on a happy day like this. Mothering Sunday is not happy for everyone: some people here might not have a mother anymore, some might be unable to be mothers, some may have lost a child through death, or lost contact with a child for any number of reasons. Others may have had an unhappy childhood and have painful memories. So as part of saying sorry we are going to think of these situations. After the words have been said, we will listen to some music, and during the song please come up, pick up a stone and place it in front of the altar where we will build a kind of cairn, which is a special pile of stones to help remember things. All

Hymn (NB: no Gloria in lent) Collect for Mothering Sunday

NB: Please see note on the collect or prayer for the day in How to use this book (p. XX).
Voice Loving God, You sent your Son to be part of a human family. Strengthen us as we share family life together, in our homes and in our church, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

The following could be read by several voices:

Voice All Voice All Voice All Voice All We are sad for those who have no children. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. We are sad for those who have no mother. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. We are sad because we have been hurt by others. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. We are sad for all the hurts in Gods world. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. (After these words play music, e.g. All for the love by Beth Neilson-Chapman, and invite people to come forward and build the cairn. When everyone has returned to their seats:) Voice We are sorry because we have hurt other people. Lord, have mercy. lord, have mercy. We are sorry that we have ignored the needs of the world. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

wE liSTEN
Reading(s)
Suggestion: if using only two readings, choose Exodus and John. The Exodus reading could be read from a story Bible or see p. XX for alternative version

Talk
Begin by saying that you have been doing some research in the shops to see what kind of person is a mummy. In the pink bag, there is a collection of things you have found that help you describe the yummy mummy.
Yummy mummies seem to lounge around in a nice pink bath, eating nice pink chocolates, reading romances, drinking coffee, then putting on their lovely make-up before going out in their designer clothes with pink bag. Oh, and they are always soft and cuddly, just like the little bear!

All Voice

All

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THE SERViCE ouTliNES

Remove the items, slowly, talking about them as you go. When that picture has been painted, explain that it just seems a bit far removed from real life. Ask mums if thats really what life is like! Then produce the second bag the bag belonging to a real mummy.
She doesnt have much time to dress up and think of herself. She is always making sure that there is enough money to go round, cooking the meals, doing the shopping, cleaning the house, washing the clothes. She is there when there is an injury, wipes away the tears . . . oh, and is there to give a cuddle when needed (blanket).

All

we believe in God the Father (and mother), from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. we believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith and fills us with his love. we believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. we believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.2

Prayers
You will need the five small vases each containing either a single rose or some simple garden flowers appropriate for Mothering Sunday. Each vase is to be carried by someone of a different generation (if possible).
Oldest person e.g. great-grandmother or great-grandfather (If this person cannot walk forward, a younger person could take the vase and bring it forward.) Loving God, we give thanks for the great love you have for each of us. We pray that you will help each of us pass that love on to the next generation. Lord, hear our prayer All Please An adult mother/father Loving God, we give thanks for all mothers and for everything they do, or once did for us, and for all that they mean to us today. We also pray for those who are without family today, for whatever reason, and ask that you would help them to know your love is always close. Lord, hear our prayer All Please A young family Loving God, we thank you for family life. We pray for those who are waiting for a new baby, and beginning family life. We pray especially for those who are trying to make home and family in difficult circumstances, especially in places of war and struggle. Lord, hear our prayer All Please A teenager Loving God, we thank you for the family of the church. We pray for those who welcome others, who encourage and bless. Inspire us in our worship, and give us a new vision to show your love to those around us. Lord, hear our prayer All Please

Remove items, talking about them as you go.

Being a real mummy is not always easy, its not always pretty. Sometimes there are other people who are not mothers but show us this kind of love. There are dads and aunties and friends and grandparents. Im sure you can think of others. In the story of Moses, there were midwifes who helped make sure the babies lived, there was his sister who spoke up for him and there was a princess who adopted him, as well as his mother who nursed him and all the others in his family who loved him. This kind of love is an echo for us of Gods love for us God takes care of us, meets our needs, helps us when we make a mess, holds us when we hurt, and loves us come what may. God is like a mother! Today is a day to say thank you for all the different ways we have known love through our mothers and through others as well. It is a time to remember Gods love for us all and to think about how we might show that love to other people.

wE RESPoND
Creed or statement of faith, using this or other authorized form. Making connections
Minister Today we think especially about being part of a family, and particularly of how God is a mother to us. Lets share together in these words:

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MoTHERiNG SuNDAY A child Loving God, thank you for everybody who looks after other people. Help us to know that you are always with each one of us. Lord, hear our prayer Please.

Blessing of flowers
Bring forward baskets with flowers and pray a blessing:
Minister Loving God, who is both our father and our mother, we thank you for all the love we have known in our homes, among our friends, with Gods people. Bless these flowers and, as we share them, may they remind us to be people of thanks, people of love, and people of joy in Jesus name. Amen.

All

If the service is a service of the word, it may be appropriate to end the prayers with the Lords Prayer, before sharing the peace together. If the service is a Eucharist, continue with the peace followed by the offertory and the eucharistic prayer. Involve different generations as appropriate.

The peace
Introduce the peace, using these or similar words:
Minister God makes peace within us let us claim it. God makes peace between us let us share it. The peace of the Lord be with you and also with you. Minister

Blessing
May God who made the whole earth, bless us (make huge circle with arms) May God who draws us all together, bless us (make hug across body) May God who loves each one of us, bless us (place hand on heart) And the blessing of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, Be with you, and all whom you love, This day and always. Amen.

All

wE Go ouT
Minister or others We go out into the world.

Notices may be included at this point as part of moving the focus to our Christian lives.

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Additional resource 2

Exodus 2.110 alternative version

Preparation
You will need two people as narrators, and four or five others to speak; and a baby doll in a basket. If possible, characters could dress up, or simply carry cards with their names on.

Voice 1 It takes a lot of people to make sure a baby lives and grows. Voice 2 It takes a lot of people to love. (Place a baby in a basket at the front, with the four speakers indicated below standing round.) Midwives There are brave midwives, who stand up to power, who speak boldly to the Pharaohs in our world, who have courage and make sure the babies LIVE! Thats what we did for the Hebrew families and God blessed us. Mother There are mothers, who watch and wait and worry, and when the time is right step out and take a risk, making the baby as safe as possible, carefully, tearfully, placing him in the river. Thats what I did for my special baby and God saw me. Pharaohs daughter There are princesses like me, and paupers too, women without children, who care, sometimes fostering, sometimes teaching, but always loving. Thats what I did for that precious baby boy and God was with me. Miriam There are sisters and aunts and friends and ministers, women who speak out when others are silent, who demand things for children when others turn away, who are passionate and bold and strong. Thats what I did for my little baby brother and God heard me. Voice 1 It took a lot of people to make sure that baby Moses lived and grew. Voice 2 It took a lot of people to show a mothers love.

Festivals Together (London: SPCK). Copyright Sandra Millar 2012