fundraising for the children’s society £50 · fundraising for the children’s society mothering...

Dear Supporter, Thank you for downloading the Mothering Sunday Additional Resources Pack. In here you will find a wealth of ideas and information to help you use Mothering Sunday to discover and explore the key seasonal themes of nurture, preparation and reflection. Fundraising for The Children’s Society Mothering Sunday provides a great opportunity to say thank you to people who care for us, whilst raising money for children who may not be experiencing the love and care they deserve. There are many ways in which you can fundraise through your Mothering Sunday celebrations, here are just a few:

• Holding a collection as part of your service

• Hosting a coffee morning and inviting your church community along

• Getting sponsored to give something up for Lent Raising just £50 could provide a young runaway with the support of a mentor for 2 months. You will find additional fundraising suggestions, plus information on the history of Mothering Sunday and Lent, a suggested service, worship materials and all-age activities such as recipes and discussion ideas within these resources. I hope you find this pack useful and inspiring. If you would like any more support or have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0207 841 4400. With kind regards and many thanks, Steph Ley Appeals Co-ordinator [email protected]

Charity Registration No. 221124 www.childrenssociety.org.uk/mothering

Additional Resources

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday Developed with our colleagues in the Church of England, these additional resources will enable you to explore key themes of Lent and Mothering Sunday. Visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk/mothering to download the Leader’s Resource and Children’s Workbook.


Contents

1. Mothering Sunday and Lent – Background information

2. Fundraising for The Children’s Society

3. Suggested service for Mothering Sunday

4. Additional Worship Materials

5. All-age Activity Ideas

6. Links to other useful resources


Mothering Sunday and Lent – Background information

Mothering Sunday The Church of England keeps Mothering Sunday on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The origins of Mothering Sunday were almost certainly pre-Christian. Both the Ancient Greeks and the Romans had a spring festival to celebrate motherhood: The Romans kept the feast of Matronalia, while the Greeks honoured Cybele (the mother of the gods) on the Ides (15) of March. When Christianity was established in Britain, the focus became a celebration of the Mother Church. Some time after the Norman Conquest, there grew up a practice of daughter churches visiting the Mother Church of the Diocese on a particular Sunday in Lent, probably for the purpose of presenting an offering at the altar. The fourth Sunday of Lent (sometimes called Laetare or Refreshment Sunday), was allowed as a day of respite from the Lenten fast – this forms another piece in the jigsaw behind the modern observance of Mothering Sunday e.g. the tradition of eating of Simnel cake in some parts of the country.


A popular notion is that Mothering Sunday was an occasion when, in the 18th and 19th centuries, domestic servants were given the day off to visit their mothers and the family home. What is far more likely is that the gathering of families on Mothering Sunday was due to the older custom of going together to the Mother Church. Today Mothering Sunday is a special service when children and families are invited to church to bless gifts and give thanks for and to those who care for us and the Mother Church.

Lent Lent is the forty-day-long liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday. The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where according to the Bible he endured temptation by Satan. The purpose of Lent is to prepare, through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial, for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion. The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter", a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.

Fundraising for The Children’s Society Mothering Sunday can be a difficult time for some people: for those who don’t have or have lost children, those whose children are far away from them and those who have lost their Mother or who are separated from them. The Children’s Society believes that Mothering Sunday is a day where the Mother Church and all those who care for us can be celebrated. This includes carers, family members or others in the community who play a nurturing and nourishing role. These resources prompt children to think about this and to consider those who might struggle on Mothering Sunday. The Children's Society is a leading children's charity committed to making childhood better for all children.

Charity Registration No. 221124 I Photographs © Pierre-François Didek I Corbis www.childrenssociety/org.uk/mothering

Thousands of children across the country are forced to grow up early and miss out on vital educational and recreational opportunities because they care for disabled or chronically ill adults or younger siblings. For them, childhood can be truly lost as they take on the role of the carer. The Children’s Society helps by working with these young carers to give them a break from their responsibilities. Children and young people supported by The Children’s Society face temptation, harsh challenges and difficulties at home, school or in their community:

• Children tempted into crime due to bullying, violence and deprivation;

• Children who feel their only solution is to run away from home when neglect, abuse and isolation makes their home so unbearable, often leading to them begging or stealing in order to survive;

• Children forced to flee their own country due to war, persecution and torture;

• Children living in families where parents are affected by drugs or alcohol misuse

Our network of community based projects provide targeted, immediate and lasting help for children who feel excluded, isolated or abandoned; disadvantaged children who face violence, neglect and poverty in their daily lives. We give children the hope and confidence they need to face the future with optimism. We never turn away. £10 provides a homeless young person with basic provisions, including warm clothing, toiletries and a blanket. £25 pays for one of our counsellors to set up education and training opportunities enabling a young refugee to play a full part in their local community.

£100 pays for a year’s travel costs, allowing a project worker to visit and befriend a disabled child in a residential care home. £200 pays for 30 pupils to attend a workshop at their school informing them of the dangers of running away and the pressures that can cause it to happen.

Fundraising Ideas

Any money raised and donated through your Mothering Sunday activities will help to make childhood better for all children. Here are some fundraising ideas to help your celebrations:

Collection Ask if the church collection on Mothering Sunday can be donated to The Children’s Society. Coffee Morning Hold a Coffee Morning in the lead up to Mothering Sunday and invite your church community along. You can sell coffee in exchange for donations – £1 per coffee soon adds up. Bring and Buy Sale Ask everybody at your local church to bring in any unwanted gifts or anything they no longer use and offer them in exchange for donations to The Children’s Society. Cake Sale Bake cakes to sell with your post-service refreshments. You could ask others to get baking so that you have a range of cakes on offer. See the Simnel Cake recipe for inspiration.

Fundraising Ideas for Children These fundraising ideas are in addition to those included in the Children’s Workbook. Why not suggest that children make and decorate their own collection tubes / pots for collecting the coins. They could use:

o Half of the inside tube from a kitchen roll o An old flower pot covered with fabric o A box made from cardboard o A decorated old sandwich box

Sponsored Lent Maybe each child could be sponsored to give something up for Lent, then donate the money raised to The Children’s Society. Tidy up Sale Look around the house and see if there is a cupboard or room that needs a good clear out. Collect up all the things that are no longer used or needed and have a car boot sale, or sell them on a stall in church. Treasure Hunt Ask children to have a treasure hunt around the house for lost coins – in drawers and down the back of the sofa. £3 pays for resources to train a peer supporter in a secondary school. This is a young person who is trained to listen and be a friend to victims of bullying.


A suggested service for Mothering Sunday New Patterns for Worship (2002) includes the following worked example of a Service of the Word for Mothering Sunday (© The Archbishops' Council 2002). It is available to download from: www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/newpatterns/services/npw14.html We say together the words printed in bold. Preparation Greeting Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares. Praising and thanking God [A large candle may be lit.] We light this candle to remind us that the love of God is like a light in our darkness. Blessed be God for ever. We praise you, our God, for all mothers who have loved and laughed and laboured as they cared for their children. Blessed be God for ever. We praise you, our God, for all mothers who have wept in sorrow and joy for their children. Blessed be God for ever. We praise you, our God, for Jesus, born of a woman and nurtured in her love, and for Mary, a reminder of your patient, waiting love. Blessed be God for ever. Confession Let us call to mind our sin, our failure to value the love of others and our failure to love as Christ has loved us. Silence for reflection

Your love gives us life from the moment of conception. We fail to live as your children. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. You call us to do good. We seek our own good. Christ, have mercy. Christ have mercy. You hear us when we cry for help. We ignore the cries of others. Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy. May the Father of all mercies cleanse you from your sins, and restore you in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Collect Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares. The president says the Collect, the prayer of the day. Reading(s) One or two readings from Scripture follow After each reading this response may be used This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Hymn or song Sermon or Talk Hymn or song Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares.



Affirmation of Faith Let us declare our faith in God. We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayers As children of a loving God who always listens to our cries, let us pray to our Father in heaven. After each section this response may be used

God of love, hear our prayer.

Loving God, you have given us the right to be called children of God. Help us to show your love in our homes that they may be places of love, security and truth. Loving God, Jesus, your Son, was born into the family of Mary and Joseph; bless all parents and all who care for children; strengthen those families living under stress and may your love be known where no human love is found. Loving God, we thank you for the family of the Church. We pray that all may find in her their true home; that the lonely, the marginalized, the rejected may be welcomed and loved in the name of Jesus. Loving God, as we see the brokenness of our world we pray for healing among the nations; for food where there is hunger; for freedom where there is oppression; for joy where there is pain; that your love may bring peace to all your children.

The Lord's Prayer As God's children, and heirs with Christ we cry in the Spirit, 'Abba', Father. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Loving God, accept the cries of our heart as we offer you prayers; through them transform us and all creation until you are in all and through all. We ask these and all our prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen. The Peace Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, 'As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.' The peace of the Lord be always with you and also with you. Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares. Prayer for Mothers and Distribution of Flowers Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares. Children may lead the following responsory For the care of mothers; Thanks be to God. For their patience when tested; Thanks be to God. For their love when tired; Thanks be to God. For their hope when despairing; Thanks be to God. For their service without limit; Thanks be to God.


Other words of thanksgiving may be added as appropriate. Hymns or songs of praise may be sung during the distribution of flowers to the congregation. At the end of the distribution of flowers we all say this prayer. Everyone sits except mothers, who are asked to remain standing. Thank you God for the love of our mothers: thank you God for their care and concern; thank you God for the joys they have shared with us; thank you God for the pains they have borne for us; thank you God for all that they give us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Blessing Praise God who loves us. Praise God who cares. May God, who gave birth to all creation, bless us: may God, who became incarnate by an earthly mother, bless us: may God, who broods as a mother over her children, bless us. May almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. The Dismissal Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen. © The Archbishops' Council 2002

Additional Worship Materials

The following resources are drawn from the range of the Church of England’s worship materials for Mothering Sunday, available in various Common Worship volumes. COLLECTS (1) God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (2) God of love, passionate and strong, tender and careful: watch over us and hold us all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Common Worship: Additional Collects (2004)

INVITATIONS TO CONFESSION (1) Jesus said, Before you offer your gift, go and be reconciled. As brothers and sisters in God's family, we come together to ask his forgiveness. (2) We have done what was wrong in the Lord's sight and chosen what displeased him. Yet as a mother comforts her child, so shall the Lord himself comfort us. So let us come to him who knows our every deed and thought. (3) Let us call to mind our sin, our failure to value the love of others and our failure to love as Christ has loved us.

KYRIE CONFESSIONS (1) As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that fear him: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. He will not always be chiding, nor will he keep his anger for ever: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a child upon its mother's breast is my soul within me: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

cf Psalms 103, 131 (2) Your love gives us life from the moment of conception. We fail to live as your children. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. You call us to do good. We seek our own good. Christ, have mercy. Christ have mercy. You hear us when we cry for help. We ignore the cries of others. Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy. (3) You love us, but we find it hard to love others. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. You forgive us, but we bear grudges against each other. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. You are the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.



AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Let us declare our faith in God. We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

cf Ephesians 3 PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION (1) We pray for the family of the Church and for the life of families around us, saying Father of all hear your children's prayer. Sovereign Lord, your Son has revealed you as our heavenly Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named . . . Father of all hear your children's prayer. You have made your Church a spiritual family, a household of faith. Through baptism we are reborn as the brothers and sisters of Christ. Deepen our unity and fellowship in him . . . Father of all hear your children's prayer. You sent your Son to give his life as a ransom for the whole human family. Give justice, peace and racial harmony to the world he died to save . . . Father of all hear your children's prayer. You gave your Son a share in the life of a family in Nazareth. Help us to value our families, to be thankful for them, and to live sensitively within them . . . Father of all hear your children's prayer.

Your Son drew around him a company of friends. Bring love and joy to all who are alone. Help us all to find in the brothers and sisters of Christ a loving family . . . Father of all hear your children's prayer. You are the God of the dead as well as of the living. In confidence we remember those of the household of faith who have gone before us . . . Bring us with them to the joy of your home in heaven, where you are alive and reign now and for ever. Amen. (2) For all our mothers and fathers, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For the security of homes and family life, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For the joy of all loving human relationships, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For your holy catholic Church, the mother of us all, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For your family in this place, and our life together, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For all the members of our families who have died, and now find their home in you, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. For Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and for all who seek to follow her example of motherhood, Lord, receive our thanks and prayer. (3) As children of a loving God who always listens to our cries, let us pray to our Father in heaven.


After each section this response may be used God of love, hear our prayer. Loving God, you have given us the right to be called children of God. Help us to show your love in our homes that they may be places of love, security and truth. Loving God, Jesus, your Son, was born into the family of Mary and Joseph; bless all parents and all who care for children; strengthen those families living under stress and may your love be known where no human love is found. Loving God, we thank you for the family of the Church. We pray that all may find in her their true home; that the lonely, the marginalized, the rejected may be welcomed and loved in the name of Jesus. Loving God, as we see the brokenness of our world we pray for healing among the nations; for food where there is hunger; for freedom where there is oppression; for joy where there is pain; that your love may bring peace to all your children. As God's children, and heirs with Christ we cry in the Spirit, 'Abba', Father. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Loving God, accept the cries of our heart as we offer you prayers; through them transform us and all creation until you are in all and through all. We ask these and all our prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.

INTRODUCTIONS TO THE PEACE (1) Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, 'As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.' The peace of the Lord be always with you and also with you. (2) Jesus said, 'Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister and mother.' As we have opportunity, let us work for good to all, especially to members of the household of faith. SHORT PREFACES (for use with Eucharistic Prayers A, B, C and E) (1) And now we give you thanks because your eternal Word took our nature upon him in the womb of Mary the Virgin. The sword of sorrow pierced her heart when he was lifted high on the cross, and by his sacrifice made our peace with you. Therefore . . . (2) And now we give you thanks because in his earthly childhood you entrusted him to the care of a human family. In Mary and Joseph you give us an example of love and devotion to him, and also a pattern of family life. Therefore . . .


THANKSGIVING FOR MOTHERS (1) Children may lead the following responsory For the care of mothers; Thanks be to God. For their patience when tested; Thanks be to God. For their love when tired; Thanks be to God. For their hope when despairing; Thanks be to God. For their service without limit; Thanks be to God. Other words of thanksgiving may be added as appropriate. (2) Thank you God for the love of our mothers: thank you God for their care and concern; thank you God for the joys they have shared with us; thank you God for the pains they have borne for us; thank you God for all that they give us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. POST COMMUNION PRAYER Loving God, as a mother feeds her children at the breast you feed us in this sacrament with the food and drink of eternal life: help us who have tasted your goodness to grow in grace within the household of faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord. BLESSINGS (1) May the Father from whom every family in earth and heaven receives its name strengthen you with his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith (and that, knowing his love, broad and long, deep and high beyond all knowledge, you may be filled with all the fullness of God); and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

(2) When the Word became flesh earth was joined to heaven in the womb of Mary: may the love and obedience of Mary be your example. Amen. May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts and homes. Amen. May you be filled with the joys of the Spirit and the gifts of your eternal home. Amen. And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen. ENDING May we obey like Mary and work hard like Joseph, and may the childlike joy and devotion and love of Jesus be with us as we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, to whom be glory now and for all eternity. Amen. LIGHT PRAYER This may accompany the lighting of a candle at a Service of the Word Blessed are you, Sovereign God, gentle and merciful: to you be glory and praise for ever! Your Spirit breathed over the chaos; and now renews the face of the earth. When we turned to darkness and chaos, like a mother you would not forsake us. You cried out like a woman in labour and rejoiced to bring forth a new people. In Christ you delivered us from darkness to the gentle rule of your love. Blessed be God for ever! Worship material © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000-2008.

All-age Activity ideas


Making a Simnel Cake Making and eating Simnel cake has become a tradition of Mothering, or Refreshment Sunday. It is a way of engaging with children, helping them to work together, giving thanks for those who care for them and focusing on Christ’s commandment to love God and our neighbour by sharing the fruits of their efforts. You could either make the cake beforehand and use it to discuss the themes of Mothering Sunday, or work with the children to make the cake together. This is also an activity that the children can do at home.

What you will need 18cm/7in cake tin Scales Large mixing bowl Wooden spoon for beating Ingredients (see below) A wire rack for cooling if you intend to serve the cake Apron(s)!

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1-2 hours

Ingredients For the cake…

110g/4oz butter or margarine 110g/4oz soft brown sugar 3 eggs, beaten 150g/5oz plain flour Pinch of salt ½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional) 350g/12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas 55g/2oz chopped mixed peel ½ lemon, grated rind only 1-2 tbsp apricot jam 1 egg, beaten for glazing

For the almond paste (marzipan)… 125g/4oz caster sugar 125g/4oz ground almonds 1 egg, beaten ½ tsp almond essence

NB: The ingredients can be used to connect to the themes of Mothering Sunday

Margarine (binds everything together) Sugar (sweetness) Eggs (for goodness) Flour (for strength) Salt (for discipline) Raisins (character – makes life more interesting)

You could even make cakes and share them after the service in return for a donation to The Children’s Society.

Method To make the almond paste: place the sugar and ground almonds

in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft consistency.

Add the almond essence and knead for a minute until the paste is

smooth and pliable.

Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for topping of the cake. Preheat oven to 140C/275F/ Gas 1.

To make the cake: cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and spice (if using) a little at a time.

Finally, add the dried fruit, peel and grated lemon rind and mix into

the mixture well.*

Put half the mixture in a greased and lined 18cm/7in cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste.

Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight

dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

When you are ready to decorate the cake, preheat the oven to

180C/350F/Gas 3.

Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam.

Divide the remainder of the almond paste into two; roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.


Place the circle of paste on the jam and set the balls round the edge. Brush the entire top with a little beaten egg.

Return the cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or long

enough for the almond paste to brown.

* The warmth of God’s love If you are making the cake with children, point out that all the ingredients are there, but all you have is a big sloppy mess. There is one missing ingredient – heat. We need to add the warmth of God’s love to our messy lives to change us into what we would like to be. Sharing Discuss the idea of sharing the cake amongst the congregation, particularly with those who might feel sad on Mothering Sunday or who don’t have children.



A cake for the brave Why not bring a microwave into church and actually bake a cake during the service. If you choose to do this, here is a simple cake recipe. Timings may vary so it might be best to do a trial run at home! What you will need

A 7” dish (greased) Scales Mixing bowl Wooden spoon for beating Microwave A wire rack for cooling if you intend to serve the cake

Ingredients

6oz (175gms) softened butter or margarine 6oz (175gms) caster sugar 1 beaten egg 6oz (175gms) self raising flower 2 tbsp. (30ml) milk Pinch of salt 2oz (50gms) raisins

Method

Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and milk in the mixing bowl and beat until smooth. It should be a soft, dropping consistency.

Spoon into the greased dish and level the surface.

Cook on HIGH (600-700 watts) until the cake is well risen, but still

looks slightly moist on the surface.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes and turn out and leave to cool on the wire rack.

You will need to follow the instructions exactly and

make sure you set the timer on the microwave!


Charity Registration No. 221124 ety.org.uk/mothering

www.childrenssoci

Arts and Crafts Sand painting You will need:

o Sand o Paper o Glue

What to do: Use the glue to draw a picture on the paper of Jesus in the desert. Sprinkle on the sand and then shake off any sand that has not stuck to the glue. Leave the picture to dry. The pictures could be taken to church and the meaning explained. Flower Power You will need:

o Paper o Colouring pens or pencils o A photo of yourself o Glue

What to do: Ask each child to draw an outline of a flower on a piece of paper. They can either draw a picture of themselves in the middle of the flower, or stick a photograph. On each petal, ask them to write or draw something to show how the people who live near them help them to grow. Who makes them laugh? Who keeps them safe? Who teaches them new things?

Family Frame Make a photo frame with a picture of ‘My Family’ inside. You will need:

o An old newspaper o 2 pieces of cardboard to make the frame o Glue o A photo or drawing of ‘My Family’ o Colouring pens / pencils / paints o A ruler o Scissors

Make a photo frame out of the pieces of cardboard. Ask the children to think about what shape they want their frame to be. The outside of the frame can be decorated using pens, paints or anything else you can find. This would make a nice present for someone or could be exchanged for a donation to The Children’s Society. Cards for those who care for us An idea in the Children’s Workbook is for children to make cards to give to those who care for them in their lives. Not only does this bring a personal touch, but the children can recycle and use materials from their home (i.e. fabric, buttons, paint, old cereal boxes etc). Be conscious of the fact that not all of the children might have a Mother, so encourage the children to make cards for people who play a nourishing role in their life i.e. carer, other family members, members of their church. Ideas and illustrations for making cards, tracing and colouring in can be found in the Children’s Workbook. Why not ask the children to donate the money they will save by making a card to The Children’s Society?



Discussion, reflection and prayer Quiz Time These quiz questions will help children learn more about Lent and Mothering Sunday. You could either read the questions out in a group session or give out worksheets to complete. Q. What is the name for the first day in Lent and why is it called this? Q. How many Sundays are there is Lent? Q. What is the date for Mothering Sunday? Q. What does the colour purple stand for in church? Q. Can you find out why there are no flowers in church during Lent? Church Family Tree Draw a family tree of all the people in church and take it in on Mothering Sunday. Invite the children to think about who does things to help your church. Ask them to find out who they are and write down their name and what they do. This can later be displayed in church.

Prayer Cards Ask the children to think about people who help them in their lives. Each child can then choose one of these people to make a Prayer Card for. You will need:

o Paper or card o Colouring pens or pencils

What to do: Children can write their prayer in the middle of their card. Around the prayer, encourage the group to draw pictures that remind them of the person the Prayer Card is for. Alternatively, you could make a Prayer Card for someone who is not very well. Pray with your group for those who work for and support The Children’s Society.



The following two activities can be done with the whole congregation. Thanking Flowers Give out small bits of paper shaped like flowers on which people can write a greeting addressed either to mothers, to children, or to others that they feel they want to greet on Mothering Sunday. Alternatively, ask the congregation to draw a picture of the mother figure they want to give thanks or pray for. It might be particularly appropriate to encourage people to think of the people who have taken a risk for them, or who have invested in them in some way – perhaps including teachers, cub / brownie leaders etc. Invite everyone to come forward and stick their flowers to a large (A3 size or bigger) blank greeting card. After the service the card might be left in church and seen by all the church community, or better still, left somewhere (together with some spare flowers and instructions) where the whole local community can see it and add a flower if they wish to do so. Donations to The Children’s Society could be given. Dove Medallions Make dove medallions (a circle of card with a dove silhouette on it) with the words on the back (or written in the dove) “.................. you are my child, I love you and I am pleased with you”. Give two to each person in the congregation for them to decorate, one to keep and write their own name in on the dotted line, and one to give away to someone they know who needs to hear that kind of affirmation.

Out and About Park Life Visit a park or garden and ask the children to look for three flowers or plants that they do not know the name of. They could draw a picture of the flower, take a picture with a digital camera or write down what the flower/plant looked and felt like. When back inside, invite the children to look up the different plants to see if you can find their name and what they need to grow. Clean Up Ask the children if they can think of a place or town that could do with a clear up? Maybe a park, a garden or a school field you know has lots of rubbish? As a group, put on some rubber gloves and pick up litter to make a place look nice again.

Links to other useful resources We also recommend other worship material, prayer resources and activities for working with children and young people over the Lent period:

From The Church of England website – Lectionary for Lent http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/lect/lectfront1.html From ‘Love Life Live Lent’ – Church of England’s actions for the Lent period

www.livelent.net

From the Bible Reading Fellowship – activities for Mothering Sunday www.brf.org.uk/pages/data.asp?layout=page.htm&Type=&Id=3080

From the Church of Ireland – service of the word www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/files/worship/pdf/Mosun.pdf

From the Royal School of Church Music Visit the RSCM website for a helpful table of suggested music (hymns and songs, choir anthems, music for children and organ music), for celebrating Mothering Sunday. www.rscm.com/assets/publications/sbys/motheringSunday.pdf


Sending in any donations Once you have collected any monies, please send a cheque made payable to The Children’s Society to: Mothering Sunday Appeal The Children’s Society Edward Rudolf House Margery Street London WC1X 0JL You will find a Paying-in slip on the back cover of the Leader’s Resource.

Useful Web pages The Mothering Sunday web page can be found at www.childrenssociety.org.uk/mothering where you can download the Leader’s Resource and Children’s Workbook. The Children’s Society website www.childrenssociety.org.uk provides a wealth of information on our work and the children we support. Children can engage directly with our work by visiting The Children’s Society’s Kids Zone web pages at www.childrenssociety.org.uk/kids_zone Visit the gallery to explain our work through the video clip - making childhood better.

Thank you for your support. Together, we can make childhood better for all children

© The Children’s Society | MS0610 | All images © Shutterstock unless otherwise stated

www.childrenssociety.org.uk/mothering call: 0845 300 1128

fundraising for the children’s society £50 · fundraising for the children’s society mothering...

Documents