Mothering Sunday
Service Sheet (pdf)
Odd One Out
We are going to begin our service this morning with an Odd One Out round to get us into the mood for Mothering Sunday. Please study these four pictures and decide whom you think is the Odd One Out. 
Susannah Wesley 1669-1742
Born 25th of 25 children of a dissenter, Dr Samuel Annesley
Age 12, she left her father’s church to join the Anglicans.
Age 19, she married Samuel Wesley.
She had 19 children, nine died as infants.
Her husband was unpopular as a clergyman, feckless and incompetent. Parishioners burned their house down, twice!
Each child was home-schooled. Each learned Latin and Greek.
Each had one hour a week of personal inquiry with mother.
Susannah defied her husband by conducting services which were more popular than his.
Mary Teresa Bojazhiu, 1910 – 1997
Born an Albanian in Kosovo, lived in Ireland and in India
1928 became a nun, Sister, later, Mother Teresa
1950 founded Missionaries of Charity which now has 4500 nuns working in 133 countries caring for people dying with AIDS, Leprosy, and TB. 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, 2016 Canonised as a saint. Criticised widely by some who are richer and do less for the poor Admired by many.
“Mother” Teresa had no children “of her own”
Sojourner Truth 1797-1883
Born a slave in New York. Four of her five children were sold. She escaped in 1826. Illiterate and with no education, she became the first black woman to win in court the return of one of her sons from a white slaver.
She became a Methodist in 1843. She campaigned all over the then USA for rights for ex-slaves and rights for women, often speaking to hostile white audiences. She is the first African American woman to have a statue in the Capitol building. She is a member of the "100 Most Significant Americans of All Time“ club.
English singer, songwriter and model
Released six albums, all of which have sold millions of copies.
Married a bass player in 2005
They have five sons, despite difficult births
For the last year, she has been broadcasting her kitchen disco to try to keep the nation fit, frequently “helped” by some of her young sons
Used her skills and motherhood status to bring joy to the lives of self-isolating people
She is an ambassador for medical research into birth difficulties.
Yes, of course you are right! They are all the odd one out. They are all mothers in their different ways. All doing their best for those in their care, All odd. All different. All mothers. You don’t have to have children “of your own” to be a mother to someone. You don’t even have to be a woman. All mothering is different and uniquely special. Today is Mothering Sunday, let’s get mothering!
She became a Methodist in 1843. She campaigned all over the then USA for rights for ex-slaves and rights for women, often speaking to hostile white audiences. She is the first African American woman to have a statue in the Capitol building. She is a member of the "100 Most Significant Americans of All Time“ club.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (born 1979)
English singer, songwriter and model
Released six albums, all of which have sold millions of copies.
Married a bass player in 2005
They have five sons, despite difficult births
For the last year, she has been broadcasting her kitchen disco to try to keep the nation fit, frequently “helped” by some of her young sons
Used her skills and motherhood status to bring joy to the lives of self-isolating people
She is an ambassador for medical research into birth difficulties.
Yes, of course you are right! They are all the odd one out. They are all mothers in their different ways. All doing their best for those in their care, All odd. All different. All mothers. You don’t have to have children “of your own” to be a mother to someone. You don’t even have to be a woman. All mothering is different and uniquely special. Today is Mothering Sunday, let’s get mothering!
Song
Our first song: StF Number 611: Brother sister let me serve you
The Bible
From 1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”From the Book of Proverbs chapter 31: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all…Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”
And from Luke chapter 13, Jesus weeps:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
Reflection
Mothering Sunday is always a part of Lent and I wonder why that might be? Perhaps it is because, amongst other things, the desert experience enabled Jesus to share and understand the self-denial that mothers everywhere take on as a part of motherhood. We are told that now in many homes in this country, mothers go without food so that their children may not go to school hungry. Jesus would understand that sacrifice. The sadness of that last reading is the sadness of a mother, unable to help her children.A collect for Mothering Sunday:
Oh God who understands the self-sacrifice and self-denial of mothers everywhere, we pray that we may surround all those in our community who care for children with your love, that we offer help rather than advice, support rather than criticism and kindness rather than disapproval. Amen.Song
And now our second song, in StF Number 102, For the beauty of the Earth. It will be playing in the version by John Rutter.Prayers
We pray for all those affected by COVID-19; for all those on ventilators, for all the medical staff who risk their lives and sanity daily, caring for the dying and for those who will eventually recover, we pray for all the relatives who may not visit those in hospital, we pray for those who risk our common safety by refusing the vaccine, we pray for children who will not see their parents again, we pray for those losing out on education or wages because of this emergency, we pray for those who knowingly break the national rules of behaviour.We pray today for all those who take decisions on our behalf, for those who govern and for those who advise. We pray for all the scientists and engineers who are working to bring us knowledge and vaccines. We pray for all those who spread misinformation and conspiracy theories.
We know, Lord, that everybody does what they think is right at the time, and we pray that you will guide us that we may not fall into ways of error believing in our own righteousness.
We pray for all those who fulfil the role of mother, we thank you for their sacrifices and for their selfless dedication; we pray that they may find comfort in the companionship of more experienced mothers, and in turn give sustenance to those mothers less experienced.
We ask your forgiveness for our mistakes, especially the deliberate ones, and we ask that you lift the burden of guilt from us. We undertake in this time of Lent, to review our lives and to root out error and unkindness. We pledge to accept the guidance of your Spirit in leading lives more Jesus-Shaped for the salvation of the world.
Our Father in heaven, your name be hallowed, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen
Reflection
Forty foodless days in the wilderness was some preparation for Jesus to understand the Hell in which some people live their lives. I wonder, what constitutes Hell for a mother? Losing your toddler in a foreign supermarket? Hearing that your child has had an accident and been taken to hospital, and, No, you can’t visit her. For some mothers living on the edge of starvation, selling a child into servitude so that the rest of your children can eat? It happens. We don’t need to conjure up flames or devils with tridents to understand some of that pain.A daughter explains tearfully that a man’s long-concealed abuse has left her pregnant. It is understandable for Christian mothers to turn to the Bible for guidance, but that does not always help. The Bible, like the Koran, has passages that explain who to kill, and how to do it, but offers no advice about abortion. Jesus too was silent on the issue, but we can take note of his loving acceptance of women in all sorts of situations that others would condemn.
A son drags courage from every corner of his being to tell his mother that he is gay and in love. She will find condemnation in Leviticus, just next to the condemnation for eating shellfish. She will find rebuke in the writing of St Paul, nearby his rebuke to women who dare to speak in church. She will find Jesus urging her to obey the law of love and the acceptance that He demonstrated towards all those in pain, to all minorities and outcasts.
Accepting a gay child as part of God’s wonderful and varied creation will lead to an increase in the amount of love circulating in the world. Supporting a teenager through a termination of pregnancy might save her sanity and preserve her chances of making a wider contribution to the world. We search in vain for any condemnation from Jesus. It seems that mothers particularly, and fathers to some extent, experience intense emotional pain from the worst of the human condition, and sometimes they must also deal with condemnatory comment and advice, even from church people. Is that strange?
Buddhism is a peaceful philosophy but in Myanmar, Buddhists militia burn Rohingya houses and kill Rohingya children. Hinduism is a peaceful religion, but in India the Hindu BJP is responsible for wholesale persecution of Muslims. Islam is a peaceful religion, the Koran has only a similar number of passages inciting violence as the Old Testament has, and there are a few Muslims who feel that the holy war requires them to kill at random. Christianity is a peaceful religion, but there are Christians who spread misinformation about vaccines and who foment violence in the USA. All of us, whatever our faith, need constant reminders not to slide from the Imitation of the life of Jesus into hatred and violence. The Spirit is there to help us keep on the track to loving acceptance.
This is the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised would be there to guide us, and she will hold our hands as we make our way through the perils of parenthood, and of helping the next generations to a fulfilled and loving life. She speaks to us, in a lingering kiss, in the first rose of summer as it opens its petals, and when a small child reaches up to take our hand.
Song
Our last song is Mothering God you gave me birth, it is not in the hymn book. It sounds very modern and slightly heretical, but it was essentially written by the first woman ever to publish a book in English, Julian of Norwich, in about the year 1400 and it has been a part of church worship for the best part of 600 years ever since. This transliteration by Jean Janzen.
Mothering God, you gave me birth
in the bright morning of this world.
Creator, source of ev’ry breath,
you are my rain, my wind, my sun.
Mothering Christ, you took my form,
offering me your food of light,
grain of new life, and grape of love,
your very body for my peace.
Mothering Spirit, nurt’ring one,
in arms of patience hold me close,
so that in faith I root and grow
until I flow’r, until I know.
Thank you for joining us this morning. Mothers, you are wonderful; those of you who mother other people’s children, you are wonderful. We, as a church, salute you and support you. We are here every week. Please come again!
Blessing
Come with us, Lord Jesus;Fill us with your Spirit;
Shape us to your likeness;
Use us to enfold with love our needy world
Amen
Finally, A Poem for Mothering Sunday
We all share the experience, and we touched that woman who gave us birthand brought us to this Earth.
We all share the experience, and we loved those who cared and raised us,
fashioned us and praised us.
Not always the same mother or father,
no blame, no shame, but rather
we do what seems right just then. So,
thank you to all those mother hens who
take on little ones who need a home,
sometimes only skin and bone, need feeding;
but often just needing love to bring them round to living;
the love that keeps on giving.
Can we make nests so orphan birds return to singing?
Giving birth is the province of a sister,
but giving life, well, let me convince you, mister
Anyone can do it.
There is nothing to it
if love makes you pursue it.
So, this Mothering Sunday can be our awakening day
when we become more human,
staying as members of the Race, by the Spirit’s grace.
A more Jesus-Shaped man or woman.
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