Mothers' Union
AimsThe Mothers’ Union is a worldwide charitable organisation which through its members, aims to support marriage and improve family life in local and global communities. FounderThe MU was founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner (a Bishop’s wife and grandmother) whose vision was to unite families of all classes and situations in faith, prayer and mutual support. Today there are 4 million members in 83 countries. What a wonderful tribute to the prayerful mother who saw a need and had the courage to put it into practice. PrayerAll MU work is underpinned by prayer. All members use the Mothers’ Union Prayer at their meetings and services . Mary Sumner’s personal prayer was to ‘touch as many lives as possible…through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe or the life I live’ Members worldwide are upheld by a daily cycle of prayer. Each diocese is linked with members in other countries who pray for each other on specific days as part of the Wave of Prayer. St. Mary’s St. Neots BranchAlthough MU members work together to support the worldwide and local projects listed below, an important aspect of our membership is to care for and provide friendship and support for each other within the branch by being a listening ear and sending greeting cards in times of celebration and sadness. We meet on the 1st Thursday in the month at 7:30pm in the church hall. In our programme we try to address our faith, reflect on family life, become aware of needs in the local community and have fun! Visitors (men and women) are always welcome at our meetings.
All three Branch Leaders since the branch reopened in 2001. From left to right - Catherina Griffiths, Joanne Bowers and Sylvia Watson.
A programme is being developed for the second half of 2021. The intended MU Programme for 2020 (undelivered after March - apart from August 9th - due to Covid) was:- 6 February: Games Evening 5 March: Climate Change Initiatives Speaker Lottie Taylor 2 April : 2pm Quiet Afternoon in church led by Revd Canon Grant Fellows 7 May: Overseas evening Speaker Gill Uttin, Ely Diocesan Worldwide Links Officer 4 June: 3pm Garden Tea Party at 76 Leys Road in aid of AFIA (Away From It All Holidays) 14 July: 2pm Visit from Shingay MU Branch. tour of the church followed by tea 9 August: Mary Sumner Day. 9.30am Communion Service Address by Mrs Hazel Williams, Ely MU Diocesan President 3 Sept: Assisi. Members who visited Assisi last year will share their experiences 1 Oct: Members Evening 5 November : Revd Paul Hutchinson: Building Hope and Confidence 1 Dec: 11.00am Deanery Christmas Party (Gifts in aid of The Refuge) All meetings on 1st Thursday of the month at 7.30pm in the Church Rooms unless otherwise stated. Global voice and government supportThere are MU Representatives on Consultative committees at the UN with special reference to legislation affecting families. The UK government values the standards and opinions of the MU. Officers from Mary Sumner house are frequently consulted by the Government on national policies relating to family life. At branch level members are often asked to discuss relevant documents before presentation to Parliament. Worldwide ProjectsThe MU is organised centrally from Mary Sumner House in London. The Worldwide President Rosemary Kempsall and Central Staff visit MU projects all over the world to encourage members and to oversee and assess the projects. These are financed by support from the members and money is also sent from a Relief Fund to MU workers in areas where natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and famine have occurred who know the local situation and can see that the money is properly used.Thanks to e-mail, we now have regular contact with Link Dioceses makes sharing news easier and more immediate. Other programmes currently in hand are:-
Local ProjectsThe St. Mary’s St. Neots branch supports the following UK and Ely Diocesan Projects with prayer, goods and financial help.
Contact: Catherina Griffiths: catherinagriffiths@stneots.org
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