Monday, May 12, 2008

Mothers' Day

Missing from my congregation yesterday: three mothers whose children died in adulthood; two women who never had children. Is this a coincidence?

I never do a Mothers' Day sermon. And it was Pentecost.

I told the Minister of Music that I didn't do Mothers' Day and the reasons. So, she does a sappy anthem about mothers. Ugh. She doesn't have time to meet with me. (And besides, I'm not doing much other than putting together a liturgy and sermon each week.)

4 comments:

Gannet Girl said...

Welcome back, albeit to a difficult Sunday.

And yes, CC is the place.

Anna Sorenson said...

At the church I attended the pastor recognized that mother's day can be a very difficult holiday for some people. He touched on neglect, abuse, sky-high standards for mothers, alcoholism, children who have distanced themselves. He did not mention death of a child or infertility. I wish he had. Here's what happened to me last year!

I've been thinking lately that the church could/should offer an "alternate Mother's Day" service that is a service of lament and / or repentance and forgiveness. I'll be thinking on this for such a time as I'm leading in the church.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

Joan Calvin said...

I like the alternative Mother's Day service!

LutheranChik said...

Our church always holds a mother-daughter dinner this time of year, but we don't "do" Mother's Day on Sunday either. (BTW, my partner and I attended the former -- because we're both daughters of moms, she's a mother, and I'm a step-mother. In our congregation, it's all good. But if I were still single I frankly wouldn't have gone to this event.)