Sarah's 150 Anniversary Address

They often say that if you see the problem, then you are the one to do something about it. Mary Sumner 150 years ago saw that there was a need to strengthen family life within and outside the church. Being a vicar’s wife she had been able to get to know the community her husband looked after.

She believed that women from all strata of society could get together in faith to support one another and strengthen family life within the church.

Her faith may have started like the small mustard seed but that seed was able to move mountains and from the vision Mary Sumner had, starting small, her passion and faith has helped it grow into a global movement.

Initially local groups met, then it started to spread world wide with migrating families encouraged by Mary Sumner's words ‘you don’t have to leave Mothers’ Union behind.’

We now have about 4 million members across 84 countries; consisting of men and women, married, divorced and single.

Mothers’ Union has changed throughout the years as needs and law have changed. In 1912 a watch Committee was formed to keep Mothers Union eyes on social problems and today we still have groups who influence social change in our land at parliament level. Members in Mary Sumner house, the central office are often called upon to give views on particular items.

The mustard plant in Jesus’ day was a highly invasive perennial, so much that rabbinical teachings of the day gave the plant an unclean status.

Jesus using this in his talk showed people that God can use what is available and amazing things can happen. We do not know who He was thinking of but we know that in Jesus’ time women were not held in high regard  and this continued for a long time. In 1918 the ‘representation of the people act’ enabled women to vote and Mothers’ Union wrote a pamphlet to help members.

Mothers’ Union contributed in the running of the welfare state, lobbying for maternity services and has been involved in many other things too.

Mothers Union has been educating it’s members about Abuse, about Modern day slavery linking with other groups who provide information. Information not only to spot the problems but also what to do if you see something that seems wrong, who you can approach for help. And the amazing thing is we can talk and explain this to other people and help them gain the knowledge and insights that we know. Lives can be saved and rebuilt through this. We in Bristol have helped those who have abused and continue to help them.

Although Mothers’ Union has changed, what Mrs Boustead, Central President of Mothers’ Union in December 1927 said, still rings true.

‘Mary Sumner's foresight, her wisdom and judgment laid the great foundation stone for us. And as the building grows, and far and wide her early message goes forth – the same message, though to a different generation – we pray that the faith which shone through her every word and thought may illumine ours, that we, with grateful hearts, may build well and truly, as she did.’

The one thing that has continued and makes Mothers’ Union different to many other charities is the faith of our members, our dependence on God, that we pray for ourselves and those we help constantly. The visions, the passions shown in what we help in are given by God and he enables us to work to bring the Kingdom of God here to earth.

Mary Sumner although born in a different century is relevant to us as she was then; because she can help us focus on what we can do.

Remember Jesus could have come as a king. Instead he came as a servant. Not as a man to be served but a person always willing to help others. Look at what he did! He lived his life doing good, healing the sick, telling the Good News to the poor and comforting the broken-hearted. We have been asked to follow his example and members of the Mothers’ Union do that, as we are willing to help others.

I have been very privileged to get know many of the Mothers Union members in this diocese. There are great passions seen in all the members as we care about those around us. We may become more limited as we get older, but that does not stop us being able to do wonderful things.

Some of the activities we do, are done in other dioceses too maybe  differently but they all help other people.

AFIA, ‘Away from it all’ the coaches we provide for families to have a day trip to Weston-super-mare. We have 6 coaches this year taking these families on a trip they could not afford.

I visited one of the pop up centres for gympanzees this week, which we support by providing transport for those families who cannot get there. It is a temporary activity centre in a school over the summer holidays for disabled youngsters, the equipment has been created especially for them; so they can enjoy themselves and have fun and exercise with all their family and friends. Aust service station is nearly completed to provide an all year center for them to attend, we are hoping next Easter will be the grand opening.

A group attends Ashfield prison to meet, greet and look after families giving them drinks and food when they come to see their fathers and husbands. It may sound easy but these families often are ostracized through no fault of their own and to have a welcome smile and a normal chat to them can make all the difference in their lives. It gives them hope for the future. We also send the inmates a Christmas card, maybe the only one they receive and the letters we have had in response to this shows that this simple action has affected them, they feel a better person knowing someone cares about them.

That is what we do, we make a difference in people’s lives. We aim to show that everyone matters, everyone is important to God; we are all unique and valuable. We in Mothers Union are Jesus’ hands and feet, we bring Jesus’ love to situations we may never understand.

We help charities who help support the homeless in Bristol and Swindon by providing food, clothes and even making sandwiches.

In Bristol Children’s hospital we are there; a person who people can share their worries with, we provide drinks for the many families that come across the South west with an ill child; often so quickly that they come with no luggage.

We must never forget those who are brilliant at knitting those hats, teddies and other things. I do not think we know the number of teddies that have been knitted but many have been given out to youngsters who have suffered traumas, surgery. They become presents for those who have been at sea for a long time for their children, through the seamen’s mission. They get everywhere.

Let us also remember that although there is a physical side to this charity there is also a faith side. The importance we place on prayer. We always ask God for help in what we do. We join in the wave of prayer, across the world. Everyday people are praying for particular areas of the world.

We will hear in the prayers those that are linked to today’s date.

Here in Bristol we give thanks for those linked to us, being united in prayer with these dioceses across the world.

Pacong(PA CHONG) in South Sudan,

Southern Nyanja(Southern NYAN-juh) in Kenya,

Kutigi (Koo-ti-gee) and Ijesha(Ee-jeh-shah North), in Nigeria and

Karnataka(Karna-taka Central) in South India.

We still have some links with Uganda and have supported them this and last year.

The beauty with Mothers Union is that support can reach the people on the ground that need it, as we go directly to those Mothers Union members who are working in those countries.

Mary Sumner House organises special money raising for particular projects across the world at Mothers Day and Christmas time. Some of these projects have been taken over by others the literacy project is one and we rejoice that this still occurs and helps many families.

Each of us are a part of a great and wonderful group, we need each other to function, to be able to keep our eyes on God and the vision he sees for us. Let us all have faith like that mustard seed and enable the impossible to happen so that people across all the world can find ‘the Kingdom of God on Earth.’

So Thank you for your faith and love of God, of making a difference in this world bringing a piece of God’s Kingdom to those you meet in your journey of life.  Our calling is to follow Christ, sometimes it can be easy other times it can be hard but we do it so that all can enter the Kingdom of God.

Mary Sumners personal prayer is something we can use to help us and ask God to help us with.

All this day O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do thou by thy Spirit quicken, whether though the word I speak, the prayer I breathe or the life I live.

We need each other to help each of us as we walk our journey of faith.

Heavenly Father, as Jesus came not to be served but to serve, we ask you to bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others, that with wisdom, patience and courage they may minister to the needy, outcast, stranger, and enemy, for the love of him who laid down his life for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.