Dear All
Sunday 30th March at 11.15, a special service for Mothering Sunday.
A reflection…
Mother’s Day can be a bit of a mixed blessing. The tradition has evolved so much over the centuries that it is difficult not to see beyond the commercial marking of the day. Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday as it was historically known, has its origins as far back as the 16th century, when people from all walks of life would return to the church where they had been christened, their ‘mother’ church, on the 4th Sunday in Lent. This was called “to go a-mothering.” In later times young men, women and children in domestic service or apprenticed, would be given a day off so they could go home and be with their families to attend their mother church. Children would gather flowers from fields and hedgerows along the way to give to their mothers in church. The tradition has continued to evolve to what many of us enjoy today, giving and receiving posies of flowers, boxes of chocolates or (as I heard from a friend recently) more extravagant gifts such as a cruise. Whatever your practice or perspective, on Sunday children of all ages will give gifts to their mothers and how lovely is that.
Although that ancient religious tradition has changed and continued to evolve into a secular, as well as religious practice, the shift away from those old traditions means that Mother’s Day is a day that reflects a jumble of feelings and emotions, not always a day of unalloyed joy. For some the day can be poignant and painful. People can feel excluded from the whole concept for all sorts of reasons.
Mother’s Day/Mothering Sunday is of course a day to think about our mothers and all that they do. It is also a time to remember mothers who have died, for mothers to think of children who may have died, for children whose relationship with mothers is complex, for women who mourn not being mothers, for fathers who are single parents, and so the list goes on.
Despite everything, Sunday is a day when we can pause and be grateful for the nurture, love and care in our lives and communities that includes but also transcends ‘mothering’. That for me is the real gift of Mothering Sunday, an opportunity to come together in thankfulness for our mothers, for the nurturing elements of our life, to find peace in sorrow, and to acknowledge everything the day may hold for us as individuals, as families, and as a community.
Everyone is welcome in church on Sunday, whatever your tradition, belief, non-belief, or wonder. There will be flowers (no need to ravage the hedgerows) and a couple of activities for children.
Julie
Spring Forward
Don’t forget that the clocks go forward an hour on Sunday morning so the Mothering Sunday Service will feel like 10.15 am.
Any more news let me know,
Beth
shiptonmoyne@gmail.com
Village Website: www.shiptonmoynevillage.co.uk
