08.09.2017
“Look Forward in Faith” Worldwide President Tells Mothers’ Union Diocesan Service
Mothers’ Union members in Dublin & Glendalough continued their celebration of the organisation’s 13 decades of love and service in Ireland at their diocesan Festival Eucharist in Christ Church Cathedral yesterday evening (Thursday September 7). The service was celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackson and the address was given by Mothers’ Union Worldwide President, Lynne Tembey.
The service was also attended by Mothers’ Union All Ireland President, Phyllis Grothier and Anne Griffin, General Manager of the World Meeting of Families. During the service the diocesan Mothers’ Union Trustees were commissioned by the diocesan chaplain, Canon David Mungavin.
In her address, Mrs Tembey hoped members had reflected and thanked God for all that members of Mothers’ Union who had gone before, considered the present and looked to the future asking God’s blessing on all their initiatives. She said it was important to remember that Mothers’ Union members shared their unity and diversity in Christ. There were four million Mothers’ Union members worldwide and they had an opportunity to impact so many people’s lives.
She said that for most people, their homes were places where love and respect is shown. They were safe havens of love, comfort and safety.
However, she said that for some, home was a fragile place. The mudslides in Sierra Leone, the floods in Asia and Texas, Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean, people fleeing persecution – people living in these areas could not say that home was a place of safety, she said.
For others home was a place of fear and abuse. “We hear so much now about gender based violence and I am so glad that Mothers’ Union worldwide is working to lobby governments on this. Our calling is to support families wherever they are in the world,” Mrs Tembey stated.
Highlighting the plight of children without parents, child labourers, child refugees in Britain and Ireland, she said Mothers’ Union was called to reach out and offer unconditional love.
“Mothers’ Union is internationally recognised and locally relevant, reaching out in love and service,” she stated. She suggested that Mothers’ Union had stayed true to Mary Sumner’s ideals of winning homes for Christ.
Referring to the Gospel reading [Luke 5: 1–11] she asked what Jesus’ words to the fisherman said about encouraging others to join Mothers’ Union. “How do we fish for membership of Mothers’ Union?” she asked. “We need to challenge how we do things. Are we willing to change? Are we willing to adapt? Will our nets be so heavy that we need to call others to help us bring in the catch?”
“I encourage the Mothers’ Union members in Dublin & Glendalough to look forward in faith, hold fast to what you know to be true and follow the way the Lord is guiding you. Then you will be blessed in ways you never imagined you would be,” the Worldwide President concluded.
