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Dear Friends,
Mother’s Day has a long history in the United States but a history of far more than flowers, cards and brunch. Early Christians observed “Mothering Sunday,” a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church.”
Ann Reeves Jarvis, a devout Christian organized “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” in the 1850s to teach women how to care for their families. After the Civil War, she brought mothers together—Union and Confederate alike—for reconciliation and healing. In 1870, abolitionist Julia Ward Howe issued a “Mother’s Day Proclamation” urging women to join in promoting peace. And in 1968, Coretta Scott King led a Mother’s Day march for the rights of poor women and children. All of this history points to a broader truth: Mother’s Day has never only been about biological motherhood. It has long been a platform to celebrate nurturing, care, and justice.
Scripture, too, shows us that God’s care is not limited to one role or relationship. In Isaiah 66:13, God says, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” Jesus Himself speaks of wanting to gather His people “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Luke 13:34). These images remind us that the love we associate with mothering is, at its heart, divine.
This Mother’s Day, let us be intentional in our recognition. Let us give thanks for mothers, yes, but also for all who care for us through compassion and care. Let us also hold space for those who are grieving: those who have lost mothers, who have lost children, who are estranged, or who face infertility. Let this be a day of tender inclusion, not silent pain.
In our churches, we can embody a broader, deeper understanding of what it means to mother. Mothering is not just a role—it is a reflection of God’s own heart. And that is something we can all celebrate.
See you Sunday!
Kris Goorsky
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