This year marks 150 years of Mothers’ Union (MU) – a Christian movement which promotes the well-being of families worldwide.
Last month, a worldwide gathering took place in Durban, South Africa – a way to honour, celebrate and connect with Mothers’ Union representatives from across the world, as it continues to bring hope, advocate for change, and build communities rooted in dignity, justice and love.
In this blog, Penny Lochead, President of the Southwark Mothers’ Union, Christine Wallers and The Revd Canon Roxanne Eversley, Dean of Cultural Diversity and Provincial Chaplain for the MU Canterbury Province share their reflections on the gathering.
Penny writes:
On arrival, I met up with Canon Roxanne, Comfort (former Southwark MU President) and Archbishop Idowu-Fearon – we mingled with fellow members from far and wide, registered and waited to be admitted to the conference hall. Once we were seated, we had the opportunity to have conversations with others, connect and build friendships.
Each day we were welcomed by the music of a worship group before our main worship. Keynote speakers including Kathleen Snow our Worldwide President were inspiring, encouraging and challenging.
Several speakers reflected on the words in Micah ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’
My hope is that Mothers’ Union will continue to light the way for generations to come – as we listen to our communities – observing the needs across the world and acting in love and faith.
Chrisine writes:
Being present and participating in the Mothers’ Union 150th celebration worldwide gathering was a deeply moving experience. It was exciting and amazing to meet up and connect with so many people from different countries and cultures. The gathering highlighted the many challenges facing families and communities, how these continue to change and how faith can be lived out through action.
I was particularly impressed with the Young MU Leaders, Liezel and Lulama, talking about both the opportunities and challenges facing younger members. How MU to be truly intergenerational we need to walk together.
Another highlight was The Right Revd Dr Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Pretoria, encouraging us to think about moving beyond responding to immediate need and working towards deeper societal transformation, advocacy, and justice.
Roxanne writes:
It was a real privilege to be a participant in the MU’s 150th celebratory gathering. As a fairly new MU member, I’ve had some experience of the MU in the Diocese of Southwark and at Southwark Cathedral, so was thrilled to witness and experience as much as I could, the work of the MU outside Canterbury Province. The stories from contributors of the impact of the MU in their communities, were both powerful and transformational, as was the Keynote Address from the Bishop of Pretoria, the Rt Revd Dr Vicentia Refiloe Kgabe.
It was a real pleasure to be amongst largely Global Majority Heritage (GMH) 2,000 plus, women with a few men from the Global South – among whom were a number of Bishops from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa – over four days days in worship, encounter, conversation and in participation as a Chalice Administrator, and in the presence of the Archbishops of Southern Africa and Canterbury on the last day.
I must add that I really loved seeing the daily outfits ‘modelled’ by MU members from across the world – they were ‘fab-u-lous!’.
Find out more about Mothers’ Union at Southwark here.
If you don’t have a Mothers’ Union link or branch in your parish and would like to know more, please contact us at: [email protected]
