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Mother's Day

As Mothers Day falls on a Sunday, it offers churches the opportunity to honour all the women in the church. However, we need to be mindful that motherhood is a difficult and delicate journey, and for some, this day can bring reminders of pain, hurt, emptiness, and grief - whether for new mums, old mums, single parents, grieving families, and those without children. This does not mean we shouldn't celebrate the wonderful mothers in our midst, but provides us with a day to bless of all the women in our church family. 

Celebrating Mums

The Wide Spectrum of Mothering

A Wide Spectrum of Mothering
A Prayer written by Amy Young
From The Messy Middle

To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you.
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you.
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you.
To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you.
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you.
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you.
To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you.
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you.
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience.
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst.
To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day.
To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be.
To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths.
To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you.
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you.
To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart.
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising – we anticipate with you.
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.
Another great prayer, in a similar style to the one above, is the Prayer for parents and those who want to be by Rev. Ashley-Anne Masters

What does Mother’s Day mean to you? 
From Home for Good
Mother's Day can be a tough day for many. We love this little video from Home for Good​, which is perfect for a Mother's Day service that addresses the whole range of positive and negative feelings that exist.
​
You can view/download a copy of the video here 

Worship Resources
  • Mother’s Day Multi-Age Services
    Uniting Church, Australia. 
  • Mother’s Day Resources
    ​
    Going for Growth, Church of England.

Creative ideas

We have a range of other creative ideas on our Parenting and Families Pinterest Page
Picture
Image source:  I heart crafty things
Confetti Sun-catcher 
A special craft for Mother's Day

Materials:
  • Coloured card or a paper plate
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Duraseal contact paper
  • Coloured tissue paper
  • Hole punch
  • Ribbon or string to hang up
  • Felts
 
Method: 
  • Cut out a heart shape (or any shape you want!) in the centre of the plate
  • Stick a circle of contact paper on the front of the plate, covering the hole. 
  • Turn over the plate and decorate the shape with tissue paper confetti, which can be made by hole punching tissue paper. You could always use sprinkles or sequins too. 
  • Cover with another layer of contact paper on the back to seal. 
  • On the front of the completed confetti sun-catchers, help children write messages to their parents, such as "I love you. Happy Mother's Day!"
  • Hole punch a hole to hang from the window and catch the sunlight
  • More detailed instructions can be found on the I heart crafty things website
Picture
Image source: Easy Peasy and Fun
Paper bouquet of flowers Craft
This craft uses a child's own hand to hold the bouquet

Materials :
  • A piece of light-coloured card for the background
  • One piece of skin-coloured paper for the hand
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Crayons, felts or paint and brushes
  • Colourful paper for the flowers (or flowers can be drawn with felts or crayons)
 
To Make the Card
  • Trace the child's hand on a piece of skin-coloured paper. Cut out the hand
  • Glue just the palm of the hand to the lower left part of the background paper -- DO NOT glue the fingers down.
  • Using green paint, crayon, or felts draw the stems of the flowers. Start each stem on the hand, and have it go towards the centre of the paper (make sure to leave room for the flowers).
  • Roll the fingers of the paper hand over the palm and the stems of the flowers, and glue the fingertips onto the palm (this will make the hand look as though it is holding the bouquet of flowers).
  • Draw flowers and leaves on the stems - or glue on flowers made from colourful paper.
Picture
Image source: AllParenting.com 
Paper Beads
For necklaces, bracelets and more

Materials:
  • Glossy magazine paper or wrapping paper
  • Toothpicks
  • White school glue mixed with water to thin it out or a glue stick
  • Paint brush
  • Scissors
  • A pen or pencil
  • Ruler
  • Clear nail polish or varnish
  • Optional: piece of Styrofoam
 
Method:
  • Choose a magazine page or a piece of wrapping paper to use. You have to start with a square piece of paper.  
  • Cut wedges from your paper. The wedges should be about 2-3 centimetres at the widest point and very narrow at the tip.   You can use the ruler and pen or pencil to measure and mark out the wedges.   The widest part will be the width of your bead.
  • Make sure the side that you like is face down. Paint the glue lightly on the entire back side of the paper except for the first two centimetres. You don't want it sticking to the toothpick. Or you can use a glue stick.
  • Once you have done this take your toothpick and roll the paper around the toothpick until you reach the end of the paper.  Smooth the point down, too!
  • Gently twist the toothpick and remove or slide the bead to the tip of the toothpick and set it aside by sticking the toothpick in a piece of Styrofoam to dry.
  • When the beads are dry paint with varnish or cover with clear nail polish.
  • Now the beads are ready for stringing. Make beautiful jewellery or use the beads to cover plant pots or jars.
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  • Home
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