,
St Clement Church Community Service
Mothering Sunday
Good morning and welcome to our Mothering Sunday Community Service. For many, today is a special day when they give thanks for the love and care of their mothers. For many mothers, it is a day to give thanks for the wonder of motherhood. For others, it is a day of pain and hurtful memories. On this day, may we all give thanks to our loving Lord, who, no matter what is going on in our lives here on earth, is always with us to love, comfort, and encourage us along our life’s journey.
With love Liz
Let us pray
Dear Father God, we thank you for bringing us together this Mothering Sunday. We thank you that you gather us as your children. We thank you that you provide for us. We thank you that you feed and nurture us. We thank you that you encourage and challenge us. We thank you that you love us. As we come before you this morning, we are aware of our own situations and ask that you make us sensitive to the needs of others. On this Mothering Sunday, we know that we all have different memories. Some may not have had the opportunity to know their mothers, some may have had a fraught or violent relationship which they do not want to revisit and so, we remember all those, whoever they may be, who have had a positive and caring effect on our lives.
Amen
Hymn: 285 For the beauty of the earth (omit verse 6)
A prayer of Penitence – for Lent we use The Commandments
Hear these commandments which God has given to his people, and examine your hearts.
I am the Lord your God: you shall have no other gods but me. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not make for yourself any idol. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not dishonour the name of the Lord your God. You shall worship him in awe and reverence.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Christ is risen from the dead: set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Honour your father and mother. Live as servants of God, let us work for the good of all, especially members of the household of faith.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not commit murder. Live peaceably with all; overcome evil with good.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not commit adultery. Know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not steal. Be honest in all that you do, and care for those in need.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not bear false witness. Let everyone speak the truth.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
You shall not covet anything which belongs to your neighbour. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Love your neighbour as yourself, for love is the fulfilling of the law.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
The Collect for Mothering Sunday
God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
Readings 1 Samuel 1. 20 – 28 Colossians 3. 12 - 17
Hymn: 376 heard the voice of Jesus say
Gospel – John 19. 25b - 27
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John)
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord
Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
(This is the Gospel of our Lord Response: Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
Mothering Sunday – the fourth Sunday in Lent and sadly now largely known as Mothers’ Day – has changed dramatically from its original meaning. Its origins in the Middle Ages, Mothering Sunday was a day honouring mother churches, the church where you were baptised and became a ‘child of the church.’ On Mothering Sunday, Christians historically visited their mother church – the church in which they received the sacrament of baptism. From this beginning, another tradition grew, that of children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants being given a day off to visit their mother and family.
We all have a mother. For many she is the core of a happy family life. For some, she is someone they lose at a very young age and they have very few, if any memories. If you ever watch ‘Long Lost Family,’ as I do, for some, a birth mother is someone unknown and someone else has taken on that role, sometimes very happily and sometimes not so. For others, there is no ‘mother’ figure and life in care is not a happy memory. Others, yes, they have a mother, but there is no bond between mother and child and the result can be devastating trauma and in some appalling cases, a fatality.
I wonder, have you ever thought that there are people who deliberately decide not to go to church on Mothering Sunday because they believe that ‘their story’ doesn’t belong there. They may well know that God loves them but for those who have suffered numerous miscarriages or been told that they can never have children, daffodils and the celebration of motherhood says to them that their story and their pain don’t belong in church.
Many of us are mothers, and I suspect those who are, will agree with me, it’s not the easiest of jobs, is it? I’m sure we can all remember times when it’s been the most challenging and ‘What should I do?’ has seemed an almost unanswerable question. I’m sure a lot of mothers, indeed parents, must go through a lot of heart- searching through the years.
Today’s Gospel reading is short but it’s about a mother, Mary, standing at the foot of the cross watching her first-born son die. What memories are going through her mind?
The strange and amazing prophesy of Jesus’ birth and how she gave birth to him in a stable and laid him in a manger? The visitors who came to see him? King Herod’s attempt to take the child’s life? The need for the ‘Flight to Egypt’ to save him? And then, for the last three years to see her son ‘despised and rejected of man?’
Now, the trial is over and her precious son hangs on a cross. No mother, no parent, should ‘bury’ a child. How black, bleak, and burdened her soul must feel seeing her sinless Son dangle in-between Heaven and Earth. Does she remember the words of Simeon and here, see their fulfilment?
What of Jesus as He looks down at His mother? The commandment for children to honour their parents goes beyond obedience. It includes love, affection, gratitude, and respect. This is not just for the young but it follows us all our lives Christ submits to His parents while He is young, but as an adult, the years of obedience to Mary are ended, but, not of honour. Mary is now a widow, so we see Jesus, as the eldest Son, looking after her present necessities and future needs.
Christ’s first three sayings on the cross, concern others. ‘Woman’ – interestingly, scripture never records Jesus calling Mary, ‘Mother.’ Why does Mary not go to live with one of her other children? ‘A man’s enemies shall be those of his own household.’ Jesus is obviously speaking from His own experience. ‘Woman, behold thy son.’ Jesus acknowledging His mother’s needs but also the needs of man to behold Christ.
Why does Jesus give the care of his mother to John? Well, for a start he, the youngest of the disciples, is the only one there. The others have all run and hidden. Mary’s sister is there. We are not told her name, but if we compare John’s Gospel with Mark’s Gospel, there is a possibility that it is Salome and if so, she is the mother of James and John, and so John is Jesus’ cousin.
Jesus knows He is going to die so, why does He not organise His mother’s future earlier? It is important that Mary understands that the cruel death of her Son changes everything. Yes, she has loved Jesus as only a mother can love her Son, but now that changes, she can’t see Him as her Son any longer, He has to be so much more. He has to be her Saviour, and her redeemer. Their relationship has to be different. By replacing Himself with John, Jesus is basically saying to Mary and indeed to us, ‘Don’t look at me as a Son. Look to me as your Lord.’
Mary doesn’t have any special privileges just because she gave birth to Jesus. She needs to have the same faith in Jesus that everyone else has, or else she can’t be part of the family of God. ‘As your Lord, I can turn your grief for a Son, into adoration for a Saviour.’
When we see these events in this light we see just how important faith really is. Not even Mary has enough good works in her to enable her to be eternally safe. In the eyes of Jesus, Mary is the same as everybody else. The only way we will have any hope of successfully making it through this life and all the grief and difficulties of life is to put our hope in Jesus who is Lord … Lord of creation… Lord of salvation… Lord of the new heaven and earth… our Lord who calls us to trust. Jesus uses this moment because He wants Mary and us to see these important truths.
Today is Mothering Sunday, but on this day may we not only remember and think about our mothers, but all those individuals who have had a positive and caring effect on our lives, whoever they may be.
Amen
Affirmation of our Faith
Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe and trust in Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen
Hymn: 408 Love divine, all loves excelling
Intercessions
Loving God, our heavenly Father, in our worship today, we say thank you for all that our mothers are or have been to us and for all that they have done for us. But, we also know that for some people this is a difficult day holding hurt, grief and perhaps anger. We pray that you will draw alongside those who are hurting today, to comfort them and surround them with your tender care.
Loving God, you care for us as we celebrate Mothering Sunday today, we pray for all the mothers across the world, for their love, their sacrifices, their patience, knowledge, the lessons they teach us and the experiences that they create for us. We pray: * for women who grieve because they are unable to have the children they so long to hold and love. * for mothers who grieve because, like Mary, they have had to see their child die too soon. * for mothers who grieve because they are cut off from their children by disappointment, anger, or bitterness. * for mothers who are worried or afraid for their children’s well-being and safety. We ask you, heavenly Father, to bring healing, comfort, forgiveness, and peace into the hears and minds of hurting mothers.
And, in these troubled times, we pray for families that are parted and we ask that they may be safely reunited and they may share a safe future together.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray: * for children who grieve because they have lost their mother through illness, accident, or violence. * for children whose mothers have been unable to give them the love and care they need so that they now live in families and homes that are not their own. * for children that are still living in homes that are unsafe and with adults who cannot put the child’s needs before their own. * for children who through hardship and poverty are not being provided with an adequate diet or basic medical care. We ask you, heavenly Father, to bring love and security, courage and hope into the lives of hurting children today.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us
Heavenly Father, we bring to you today all whom we love (both with us now and those who have departed this life,) for our family, our friends, and our neighbours. Help us all to live so that we may strengthen and enrich the life of the family, help us to build with you the kind of family that welcomes the stranger, the lonely and the needy. On this special day we remember that all through our lives we have reason to be thankful for not only our mothers, but all those who have taken a special and caring interest in us.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us
Creator God, as we watch and read the news, we see the brokenness of our world and that for many families, life is more dangerous than ever before. We pray for healing among the nations; for food where there is hunger; for freedom where there is oppression; for joy where there is pain; that your love may bring peace to all your children.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us
Loving God, we pray for all mothers of children suffering from serious illness, recognising not only their anguish but also the way that their love and determination really makes a big difference to chances of recovery. We thank you for the many hours our parents spent caring for us when we were ill, and thank you too for the many children who grow up to be their children’s carers in later life.
We remember too, all those who are troubled in body, mind, or spirit. Remembering today: Ken and Di, Terry and Dot, Alison and Rob, Paul and Jan, Margaret, Brian, Maureen, Sarah, Rupert and Linda, Sandra and Barrie, Annie, Faith, baby Willow and all those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us
Merciful God, like a mother, you gather your people to you as gently as any human mother with her children. Turn the despair that comes through the parting of death into hope, and may we, through your gentleness, find comfort and restoration in our sadness and loss.
Lord, hear us: Lord, graciously hear us
Everlasting God, you alone can see the future, and so we pray to you, who can see ahead of us, asking for your protection for each of us, for our families and those whom we love.
Loving God, trusting in your promise to hear us when we pray in faith, we ask you to bless all our relationships in the families of our homes, our church, and our communities so that through our lives your loving will for us may be done.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
A mother’s love
There’s no love like a mother’s, Her heart is filled with care. With Christ as her example, Her Saviour’s love she’ll share.
A mother’s love is endless, Not changing for all time. When needed by her children, A mother’s love will shine.
God bless these special mothers, God bless them every one. For all their tears and heartaches, And special work they’ve done.
When days on earth are over, A mother’s love lives on, Through many generations, God’s blessings on each one.
Be thankful for our mothers who love with higher love, from power God has given, And strength from up above.
Notices
The Peace
Peace to you from God who is our Father. Peace from Jesus Christ who is our peace. Peace from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. The peace of the triune God be always with us.
Hymn: 415 O for a thousand tongues to sing
Blessing
May God, who gave birth to all creation, bless us. May God, who became incarnate by an earthy mother, bless us. May God, who broods as a mother over her children, bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen