Mothers Union

Welcome to Mother's Union South Africa.

Mother's Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide.

In 83 countries, our members share one heartfelt vision - to bring about a world where God's love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships. This is not a vague hope. but a goal we actively pursue through prayer, programmes, policy work and community relationships. By supporting marriage and family life, especially through times of adversity, we tackle the most urgent needs challenging relationships and communities.

Our members are not at all mothers, or even all women. Single, married, parents, grandparents, or young adults just beginning to express their social conscience. For all 4 million members what Mothers' Union provides is a network through which they can serve Christ in their own community - through prayer, financial support and actively working at the grassroots level in programmes that meet local needs. We lobby local and national governments on issues affecting family life and campaign to challenge legislation that neglects the vulnerable and marginalised. We are also represented at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

As you explore our website we hope you find plenty to inform and encourage you as you support Mothers' Union.

MOTHERS' UNION TRAINING FOR UNIT COMMITTEES LEADERS AND DIOCESAN PRESIDENTS  Gauteng cluster which is formed by the following dioceses – Matlosane, St Mark the Evangelist, Christ the King, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Highveld – held their Provincial Unit Co-ordinators workshop on the 12th – 14th September 2014 at Lakeview Airport in Boneoro Park. The facilitator was our brilliant and gifted Nkosazana.   We realised that these units work closely with each other in the Diocese to engage in promoting the work of Mothers’ Union. We have learned all the practical work done in communities and churches in the name of M.U and the administration of the organisation.   The marketing Unit remains committed to increasing membership, generating income and raising awareness of the ethos and practical action of the organisation. Prayer/ spirituality is concerned with the spiritual development of the membership and so as the organisation as a whole has a distinctive spirituality. The action and Outreach provides resources and information to members, by monitoring excellent links with Action and Outreach co-ordinators in the Diocese.  

About the Mothers' Union

Vision: Our vision is of a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful, and nourishing relationships.

Mission: We will show our Christian faith by the transformation of communities worldwide. We will promote stable marriage, family life and the protection of children.

Objectives:

·         To promote and support married life 

·         To encourage parents in their role to develop the faith of their children 

·         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

Values: 

Mothers’ Union is a Christian mission organisation working with people of all faiths and none. We are firmly rooted in a voluntary ethos centred on mutual respect and collaboration. Our governance, leadership, and programmes are driven by and undertaken through members within their own communities worldwide.

Beliefs:

·         We believe in the value of each individual and their unique qualities 

·         We believe in the value of relationships. Jesus said, ‘‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.’ This is the ?rst and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbour as yourself.’’ 

·         We believe in the value of the family in its many forms as a source of love and support for individuals and the basis for a caring community

·          

The Mothers' Union (MU) is a worldwide Christian Charity organisation, of which the Anglican Church of Southern Africa is a part. The MU was established & founded by Mary Sumner in 1876, in England.

Its purpose is to be specifically concerned with all that strengthens and preserves Christian family life.

In the Province of Southern Africa, the MU organisation was established in 1904. Our members share one heartfelt vision – to bring about a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships.

The MU's aim is to advance Christian religion in the sphere of marriage, and family life in its many forms.

Thisaim is carried out through Five Objectives, upon which the organisation is premised:

To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage, and promote its wider understanding;

To encourage parents in their role to develop the faith of their children;

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; and

To help those whose family life has met with adversity.

At the 46^th session of the PROVINCIAL COUNCIL of the MU held in East London in December 2009, the 95 delegates from 25 Dioceses of the Mothers’ Union who attended came up with critical resolutions - with regard to various issues facing our society and challenging the communities in which the MU operates. These resolutions are an attempt to voice the concerns of all the members of the organisation and to redress the moral degeneration, within the context of the organisation's five Objectives.

(i) XENOPHOBIA – we condemn it on the premise that all people are equal in the eyes of God as the Bible states, that we shall "love our neighbour as we love ourselves"; and that it is against the spirit of Ubuntu - which we all strive to abide by and adhere to;

(ii) HUMAN TRAFFICKING – we consider this as a violation of basic human rights as ordained by God and as prescribed in the Constitution of our country. We believe it is inhumane and leads to mental as well as social disorders. It is tantamount to slavery and encourages substance abuse at early stages, whilst it also promotes pornography and increases infections;

(iii) PROSTITUTION - we are against its legalisation as a measure of protection of women's and children's rights alike. Once again, in compliance with especially 1; 2 and 4 of the Mothers’ Union objectives, we believe prostitution operates against God's laws as "the body is the temple of God"; and that it has harmful psycho-social effects;

(iv) CIRCUMCISION – we call for the full training and ongoing support of the traditional surgeons, whilst we seek to find ways of bringing back strict family value systems associated with the performance of this ritual. We insist that the “surgical operation” be performed under professional medical practitioners’ guidance and supervision. We plead and request that all family members concerned, especially fathers and father-figures, take full and active responsibility.

(v) ENVIRONMENT – we stand firm and in full support of a clean environment. We believe that, as the Bible states, “the earth and all that is in it belongs to God”, and to this end we will endeavour to add and play an active role in beautifying the spaces around us; encourage planting of trees and all other similar projects.

These RESOLUTIONS are a statement and a standpoint of the Mothers' Union in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, on which ongoing commitment and actions will be implemented.