APRIL 2011 - Vol. 33, No. 4.

Dear Friends

You may have seen a Mothers’ Union poster on display which says ‘Make a Mother’s Day’. This is in connection with a campaign to encourage the purchase of ethical gifts which will help mothers and their families, at home or overseas, who are facing difficulties. Anyone who takes part will receive a card depicting the chosen gift. This may be a card to send to the person’s own mother, or it can be in memory of a mother who has died. Mothers’ Day is advertised widely by companies who want us to buy cards, gifts or flowers, or to treat our mothers to Sunday lunch. The Mothers’ Union advertisement reminds us of the Christian origins of this day.

Mothering Sunday always falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and is sometimes known as Refreshment Sunday. The idea is to have a break from the austerity of Lent and to be refreshed for the final part of the Lenten observance, leading up to Holy Week and Easter. On this Sunday in times gone by young people in service in big houses were allowed to visit their families. The custom developed of picking flowers from grass verges and hedgerows along the way to make posies for their mothers. People would attend the church of their baptism, or families who normally worshipped at small village churches might attend the larger church in town, sometimes called the Mother Church. That title emphasises the Church’s role in nurturing Christians in their faith. There was, and still is, an emphasis on Mary the Mother of Jesus on this particular Sunday. So there are three strands to Mothering Sunday celebrations – Mother Church, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and our own mothers. Much of this is lost in today’s celebrations which owe more to the American Mothers’ Day held in May, with its emphasis on thanking and showing appreciation for mothers.

There are many celebrations associated with the Christian faith. This month we shall also observe Palm Sunday, recalling the occasion when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Holy Week follows, which includes Maundy Thursday when we recall the Last Supper which Jesus shared with his friends. Good Friday is a solemn day when we focus on the crucifixion. Then comes the joyful celebration of Easter, when we celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead, and the new life he offers to those who believe in him. If you come along to one or more of our services this month you may discover something about how these festivals began, and their meaning for us today. It’s also worth mentioning that holidays began as holy days. So as we enjoy our holidays and celebrations this month, let’s not forget their origins in the Christian faith.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington