9th August - Mary Sumner day

Mary Heywood was born in 1828 in Swinton, near Manchester, into a wealthy and cultured family. Her father was a banker and a scholarly man. Her mothers family owned land in two counties. Mary grew up in the beautiful surroundings of Hope End, in Herefordshire. Educated at home she spoke three foreign languages and became a very accomplished singer. Yet what she valued most about her family home was its Christian atmosphere.

George Sumner, the youngest son of Charles Sumner, bishop of Winchester, fell in love with her when they met in Rome where she was completing her musical education. Married in July 1848 at St James, Colwall, they embarked on 61 years of married life.

For nearly thirty years Mary was fully occupied in bringing up their three children and supporting her husband's ministry, in the parish of Old Alresford near Winchester, by providing music and teaching Bible classes. In 1876 however she decided that a new organisation was needed in the parish and the first branch of the Mothers' Union was begun.

Mary Sumner did not start the Mothers Union when she became a mother but when she became a grandmother. She was spurred into action when her eldest daughter gave birth to her first baby. Mary remembered her feelings of inadequacy as a young mother charged with the terrible responsibility for a new life. She believed that women from every class needed to understand that motherhood was a profession and be equipped to perform it. Motherhood involved more than providing for the physical needs of children. The primary responsibility of mothers was to raise their children in the love of God. Mothers could only do this, she believed, if their lives were firmly rooted in prayer.

Her plan for a new form of mothers meeting, bringing together mothers of all classes, did not start auspiciously. Having gathered the women of the parish in the Rectory, Mary could not present her ideas due to nerves so husband George had to speak for her and invite the women to return next week. A week later she explained the objects of the new society and gave out simple cards containing practical suggestions for members lives.

Bishop Ernest Wilberforce of Newcastle was at the Portsmouth Church Congress in 1885. He felt he had little of relevance to say to a women's meeting so he asked Mary to speak. Despite her initial resistance, as at that time respectable women did not address public meetings, she agreed. Painting a picture of the low moral standards in the country, she asked what could be done to improve the national character. Her answer was that the power for change lay in the hands of mothers. If women united in prayer and committed themselves to a Christian life the nation could be transformed.

The meeting responded to her passion and conviction with a rousing ovation. It was on this wave of public enthusiasm that the Bishop of Winchester decided to make the Mothers' Union a diocesan organisation. Jesus said ( Matthew 17:20 ) that if we have a faith as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. The Bible says ( 1 Cor. 12:7 ) that every Christian has God given abilities to help build up the church. Mary is an illustration of these two principles. She wasn't young and dynamic when she called the first MU meeting but a nervous grandmother. She overcame her nerves and in 1896 became the first President of the M.U. In 1897, during her Diamond Jubilee, Queen Victoria became patron of the Mothers' Union. By 1900 the Mothers Union had nearly 170,000 members. She died on 9 August 1921 and this date is remembered each years as Mary Sumner day. The Mothers' Union now has 3.6 million members in 77 countries.

We may feel old, nervous, inadequate but if we are prepared to step out in faith and trust in God, He will use what we have to offer. God is in the business of transforming people's lives for the better. He has used and is using the Mothers' Union to do this throughout the world. God will use each one of us as we are part of Christian organisations such as the Mother's Union. He will also use us as individuals as we live and witness for him to his praise and glory.