MOTHERING SUNDAY – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW AS AN ANGLICAN

Each year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, countries around the world celebrate Mothering Sunday. This typically involves lavishing Mums with gifts and attention and celebrating the women who have nurtured us throughout our lives.But with the day becoming increasingly commercialised, how many people are aware of its very different origins?
The Mothering Sunday is a celebration of the Anglican Church from the early Church. It was originally a day to honour and give thanks to the Virgin Mary, also known as “Mother Mary”, for her agony as recorded in Luke 2:35. The Celebrations required people to visit their mother Church The Celebrations required people to visit their mother Church – the main Church or Cathedral in the family area. As Christianity spread through Europe in the 16th Century, the celebration increased and was included in the Church Calendar as Mothering Sunday; an Occasion to thank and appreciate all mothers as well as a family honoured reunion. It also became a celebration when children, especially the girls who had been away from home as domestic helps or apprentice had a day off to join their family and see their mothers
The Mothering Sunday does not have a fixed date, as it is linked to Easter season, which changes annually according to the Church Year Calendar.

Difference Between Mothering Sunday, Mother’s Day, Women’s World Day Of Prayer And International Women’s Day

Although the four celebrations centre on women and are internationally celebrated, they are different from one another.

• Mothering Sunday is celebrated by the Anglican Communion Worldwide on the fourth Sunday in Lent. The celebrations embrace the motherhood of Mary, the Church as the Mother of all and our Mothers in different homes.

• Mother’s Day is an American social celebration in honour of mothers, which started on 12th May, 1908 by Anna Jarvis. It is celebrated every second Sunday of May. It is not connected to the Mothering Sunday, which is a church event.

• Women’s World Day of Prayer is an ecumenical World Christian Women Prayer, which comes up every 1st Friday of March. It is meant for every Christian Woman Worldwide to participate.

• International Women’s Day – is a United Nations Day for the celebration of women all over the world, no matter one’s nationality, tribe, religion, race, etc.
Mothering Sunday is a day of honouring all married women in the Anglican Church, offering acts of kindness and giving, and allowing women to officiate in Sunday worship.

Take note ✅
1.    Celebration of Mothering is not a matter of Women’s guild or Mothers ‘union forum ! It is for every woman in the church.
2.      Some important part of the service (Sermon, readings etc) may be given to women in the congregation.
3.      Leading the congregation by the women should be done on the Curate’s reading desk and not that of the vicar!              The vicar’s desk belongs to the Bishop and the Vicar of the Church.

4.     Unlicensed women should not be allowed to climb the pulpit. In some Dioceses women can not climb the pulpit            licensed or not…. But they can be allowed to preach at the lectern(Immovable or movable one) that is Anglican            heritage !
5.       it is a Sunday for our mothers to reflect on the all that is committed to their charge.

Mrs Angela Ndukuba
Mama Nigeria ❤️❤️✅

Happy Mothering Sunday to all our mothers in the Anglican church ❤️
Ref:
https://guardian.ng/sunday-magazine/mothering-sunday
https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media

Mothering Sunday 2024 was held on Sunday 10th March, 2024 at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.