There are nearly four million members of the Mothers' Union around the world, and we have influence at global level, and at national level. But we also have a huge number of grass-rocts projects and Mothers' Union truly deserves the slogan around the world - and around the corner.
To learn more about Mothers' Union see the official website, or please feel free to contact us more locally via our contacts page.
The Mothers Union is an international organization which offers Christian care for families around the world. Members share a commitment to improve family life through practical action as well as through our prayers.
Around the world Mothers' Union members are working to support families. Projects range from small scale farming initiatives in Uganda to a network of family support groups in prisons around the United Kingdom; from literacy programmes to the facilitation of parenting groups; from free holidays for sponsored families to advising national and international government committees. Each project involves women and men working in their own communities, whether in Aberdeen, York or Zambia.
Aims and Objectives
The Mothers' Union has these aims and objectives:
The Aim of the Mothers' Union is the advancement of the Christian religion in the sphere of marriage and family life.
The Objectivesof the Mothers' Union are:
- To uphold Christ's teaching on the nature of marriage and to promote its wider understanding
- To encourage parents to bring up their children in the life and faith of the Church
- To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians, united in prayer, worship and service
- To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children
- To help those whose family life has met with adversity
We seek to achieve these aims and objectives in a variety of ways. Projects outside the UK are supported by the Overseas Fund:
- Helping to provide training for members and workers in developing leadership and advocacy skills in their towns and villages
- Funding seminars and conferences on issues affecting our members' everyday lives, such as widowhood, their civil and legal rights and family life
- Providing grants for vehicles such as Land Rovers, motorcycles and boats. These enable workers to reach the remote areas where most members live
- Encouraging self-help initiatives such as livestock holdings, soap making and other craft co-operatives
- Supporting the salaries of over 300 MU workers around the world
In addition to the Overseas Fund, the Relief Fund is used specifically for emergencies and disasters, such as war, famine and flood. Because we often have workers already in the affected areas, aid can be purchased locally and quickly reach those in need.
In the UK and Ireland projects have been set up to help and support families. These are supported by grants from the CWISY fund. The Support for Children and Families affected by Imprisonment (SCIP) project involves members working in more than 70 prisons. They offer a wide range of help, from supervising children in the play areas in the visits hall to leading parenting courses.
The Away From It All (AFIA) project enables people experiencing financial hardship or stress to take a much needed break - many of the applicants are referred by social workers, the probation service, clergy and teachers as well as by Mothers' Union branches. In this Diocese we have a six-berth caravan on the Blue Dolphin Holiday Park near Filey and for 23 weeks of the year families enjoy the whle range of available activities. Further information can be obtained via this link.
Our media awareness pack encourages people to be more aware of the effect of the media, particularly within families.
Supporting parenting is another part of our work. We continue to build on our existing network of parenting courses. Feedback from such courses is enthusiastic, often with all family members, parents and children feeling the benefits. In addition to these nationwide projects, members also organize local initiatives that meet the needs of their own communities.
The MU plays an active role in influencing issues that affect our members, around the world. We monitor legislation and social policy, seeking to get our voice heard in the public debate on marriage and family life. On a global scale we have registered our concerns on the subject of international debt and its implications on our members and their families.
The spiritual life of our members is an important concern of the MU members worldwide who are united in prayer, worship and fellowship. Every day in the 'Wave of Prayer' members pray for their fellow members in dioceses across the globe. We provide resources for individual members, branches and dioceses on festivals, Quiet Days, Bible study groups and Sunday school and liturgy in general. The Indoor Members Prayer Circle (IMPC) is made up of members who cannot take part in MU activities for various reasons, but pray for the work of the Mothers' Union.
MU Enterprises Ltd. is the Mothers' Unions trading subsidiary, it produces publications on many topics, including diaries, calendars and a wide range of books, cards and gifts. It also publishes Home & Family, the Mothers' Union all-colour quarterly magazine. All these products are available from Mary Sumner House or from representatives in the dioceses.
If you would like to know about the work of the Mothers' Union, or would like to find out more about becoming a member, please contact check our Contacts page.