Undeb Y Mamau Esgobaeth Tyddewi St Davids Diocese Mothers' Union
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Haf 2018 Summer 2018 Teulu Non Undeb y Mamau Esgobaeth Tyddewi St Davids Diocese Mothers’ Union The Mothers’ Union Prayer Loving Lord, We thank you for your love so freely given to us all. We prayer for families around the world. Bless the work of the Mothers’ Union as we seek to share your love through the encouragement, strengthening and support of marriage and family life Empowered by your Spirit, may we be united in prayer and worship, and in love and service reach out your hands across the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen Our vision Whilst the ways in which we operate to fulfil that need may be different from that of the world of the 19th century, our vision today is still of a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful, and flourishing relation- ships. This is the essence of our work. Our mission We aim to show our Christian faith by the transformation of communities worldwide. We can do this through the promotion of stable marriage, family life and the protection of children. Our values 1. We are firmly rooted in a voluntary ethos centred on mutual respect and collaboration. 2. Our governance, leadership, and programmes are driven by and undertaken through members within their own communities worldwide. 3. We work with people of all faiths and none. CHAPLAIN’S LETTER CANON BRYAN Dear Friends I have always thought that Joy and Happiness are two different experiences. Joy is a gift from God which is deep down within our whole being. Happiness is the experience that can change and usually because of experiences beyond our control. St Thomas Aquinas wrote, ’Happiness is another name for God’. If God offers us an experience of Happiness then surely it is our responsibility to share that Happiness by living blessed and happy lives. In Matthew 5 we have the Beatitudes which begin ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In the Good News version of the Bible these Beatitudes are titled True Happiness and begin ‘Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them’. This is, of course, part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount when he is teaching his disciples along with the crowd who had gathered to listen to him, about the way of life that they should follow. It seems to me that as Members of the Mothers’ Union our Purpose, to be specially concerned with all that strengthens and preserves marriage and Christian family life, is a fulfilling of Jesus’ teaching to encourage True Happiness. As children of God we are on a pilgrimage journey towards our place in God’s Kingdom. We carry with us a vision of real Joy and true Happiness and I find this prayer helpful on this journey, Alleluia, Blessed [Happy] are those who are reborn in the waters of Baptism. Alleluia, Blessed [Happy] are those upon whom the Spirit is outpoured in Confirmation. Alleluia, Bread of Angels. Christ’s Body – Crucified and Risen – which is a blessing [happiness] to all who celebrate the Eucharist. Amen Every Blessing, Pob Bendith, Canon Bryan FROM THE EDITOR Dear all, I hope you enjoy this summer edition of Teulu Non. I have enjoyed speaking to so many of you over the last few weeks as I have been ringing around the branches. It’s lovely to hear how much is going on! Many thanks to everyone who has sent in your reports, photos and member news. If you would like to send in anything for the next edition, the email address is in the box below, or telephone me on 07854 752835. God bless, Lorna Last submission date for next Teulu Non is the 2nd November 2018 [email protected] PRESIDENT’S LETTER GLENYS PAYNE Dear Friends Mary Sumner’s footsteps and remind ourselves what we are about. As we all know, the theme for this year is ‘In Mary Sumner’s Footsteps.’ Do you remember Having just celebrated Pentecost we think of Mary Sumner’s story and how she founded our the Gifts of the Spirit. We ask God to direct us wonderful organisation – The Mothers’ Union? to use our Gifts that are freely given when it Please read her story in this newsletter as you comes to serving others in the name of the may, like me, learn something new (or Mothers’ Union. We should all find Mary something forgotten!) about Mary Sumner. Sumner’s personal prayer very helpful when discerning God’s will when we offer ourselves in We are now in election year again, doesn’t time Service. fly? One thing I had forgotten about Mary Sumner was that she was a very nervous first “All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives leader of something she was not comfortable as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do with, being a speaker and being a leader. That thou by thy Spirit quicken, whether through the sounds familiar and is something that is heard word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I in many of our branches struggling for direction. live. Amen.” If Mary Sumner realised what she was starting she may have been even more nervous! Many Blessings to you all Many Branches are continuing to work in Glenys different ways e.g. as a team without named officers. BUT we still need officers at Diocesan, Archidiaconal and Deanery level. Please think General Meeting and pray if you are prepared to take office at Services at St Mary’s, Swansea any level. Mary Sumner may have been reluctant at first but she put her trust in God and Monday 17th September 3pm & 6pm He gave her strength, and look what she achieved. General meeting The MULOA process – Mothers’ Union Listening, Observing and Action – is progress- Tuesday 18th September 10.30 - 3.30pm ing well World Wide. It is slowly filtering through the Dioceses in Wales. The process has been Brangwyn Hall, Swansea well accepted in many Branches in our own Tickets £13 each Diocese and has encouraged members (and non-members) to discuss more about their faith and how they can reach out to people in their Welsh Choral Evening own communities. “MULOA isn’t new, it’s something we’ve always done, and it’s our Tuesday 18th September, 7pm way of working. It’s not a new way of working, it is our work.” Said Claudette St Mary’s, Swansea Niyonizigiye of Burundi. We need to follow in Tickets £12 each Please contact Glenys or Brenda for more details DIOCESAN NEWS Faith and Create Day If you are a UK tax payer and would like to Gift Aid your annual subscription to Calling all members of Clan M U! There is MU this would mean that for every £1 to be another gathering of the Mothers' you pay, we can claim 25p back from the Union at Gorslas Church Hall on 18th of Inland Revenue. This money comes June from 10am for coffee and a straight into our MU Diocesan Account 10.45am start. and we can claim on the portion of your subscription that is sent up to Mary Bring sandwiches for a packed lunch. Teas Sumner House too. You have to be a tax and coffee provided at lunch and on arri- payer yourself (unfortunately we can’t val. claim on a spouse’s tax contributions) and will have had to have paid an Come and explore your faith and discover amount of income/capital gains tax your creative side. Nothing too difficult, equal to or higher than the amount but having fun fellowship and faith. claimed by all charities from HM Revenue & Customs. (taxes such as For further details contact Heather Witt VAT and Council Tax do not qualify). If 01267 275504. you would like a Gift Aid form please contact our Diocesan Treasurer, thank you. Mrs Wendy Evans, 2 Derwen Fechan, Trevaughan, Carmarthen, Carms. SA31 3QA 01267 238033 [email protected] IN MARY SUMNER’S FOOTSTEPS THE STORY OF MARY SUMNER It all started when Mary, married to George, The meetings grew, and included women - old Rector of the Parish of Old Alresford, was and young, rich and poor. Others heard about passionate about transforming the home-lives her work, and started groups in their own areas. of Parish families, by helping the women to support one another in raising their children. In 1876, she founded “the Union of Mothers” – with a membership card and promise: “to be Her husband was very supportive: “just share given up, body and soul, to Jesus Christ in Holy your heart – God will do the rest.” Baptism, and that your duty is to train your children for his service”. She was so nervous at the first meeting of the parish women, that she refused to speak, and In 1885, at a time when it was still unheard of asked George to take her place. In those days, it for women to speak to large audiences, Mary was very unusual for a woman to be a public Sumner was invited by the Presiding Bishop to speaker. However, George encouraged her to speak to a packed church congress session for speak from the heart and it went so well that women in Portsmouth. He anointed her with she found the courage to speak at future the authority to speak - he felt that he had no meetings. Her talks were inspired by her faith – authority to speak to a group of women whose it was practical and down to earth – prime concern was to get enough food on the “Remember, Ladies, to be yourselves what you table so that the children would not starve.