Sunday, May 12, 2013

A Good and Faithful Servant


Last Fall I asked my 87-year-old mother to join me in a dialogue at the sermon time in worship. I wanted to engage her in conversation about the inception of the United Church Women group fifty years before. My mother, Margaret Mundy, was part of the Board of Women who brought together the Women's Auxiliary and the Women's Missionary Society to form the UCW.

I received two mild (very mild) scoldings. One was for revealing her age. The other was for asking her in the first place. The day before, and morning of the service she was a little fretful, feeling she was too old to be in front of a couple of hundred people. Of course she did splendidly, answering the questions I had given her with intelligence and aplomb. I was very proud of her and the congregation was wonderful in affirming what she had to offer.

This is Christian Family Sunday and Mother's Day and I am grateful for the role model in Christian faith and living my mother offered to me and my brother. My father was ordained but my mother had her own ministry. She has always been a prayerful and practical Christian with a variety of gifts, including a solo voice in an earlier day. She has been generous in supporting a number of ministries and cares about what is happening in the United Church. She doesn't get out to worship much anymore, but she coordinates the services at her residence and sometimes plays for them as well.

You are a good and faithful servant Mom. Well done!

Any thoughts on your mothers today?

2 comments:

LSDPB said...

We were together as a family yesterday to celebrate Mother's Day and Mom's 87th birthday which falls on Friday this week. We have great laughs, fun and sometimes tears. Mom suffers with dementia now but could not have been a more wonderful servant to her five children, working two full time jobs at one time to support us. I could not have a better example to live my life by. Thank-you God for all they give in so many ways.

Laura said...

Like LSDBP my Mom continues to be a role model to me, even in her advance stage of Alzheimer's. The witness of her good and faithful life and the attention in nurturing me in a life in faith have been the greatest gifts she could have offered me and continue to transform my life daily.
One of the great rewards of church life is having so many grace-filled mothers,young and old, in my life through the years. I have learned so much witnessing their living, and lives of experience. I find them a source of collective strength to my spirit and I definitely count the two Mrs Mundys in that influence. Thanks Mom, thanks all.