A Sermon preach at MU Area service - Lisburn Cathedral - Sunday 18th June 2026
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen.
It is wonderful to come together this afternoon as we celebrate 150 years of Mothers’ Union.
It is a privilege to preach at this service. My late grandmother was Enrolling Member for many years in Seapatrick Parish, and down through the years I’ve received so much support and encouragement from Mothers’ Union members.
In Cork, I worked closely with MU members as they developed partnerships supporting women whose lives had been impacted by domestic abuse. And through that, and other connections, I’ve seen something of the remarkable work Mothers’ Union does with women and families, both locally and across the world.
Its been great to work with Christine and the group organising this service.
The two readings I’ve chosen today speak about thanksgiving and growth.
Paul writes to the Church in Colossae:
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.”
He has heard about their faith, their love and their hope & Practical work.
And then he says something which speaks wonderfully into our celebration today. He describes the Gospel as:
“bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world.”
And 150 years after the beginnings of Mothers’ Union, perhaps those words give us good reason to rejoice.
• We look backwards with thanksgiving.
• We look around and see something of what God is doing.
• And we look forward with hope.
Christian thanksgiving isn’t simply nostalgia.
Paul isn’t saying, “Wasn’t it wonderful what God did once?”
He gives thanks because God is still at work.
• The Gospel is still bearing fruit.
• The Gospel is still growing.
• Lives are still being changed.
Then Jesus gives us two wonderful pictures of how that Kingdom grows.
A mustard seed and some yeast.
• A tiny seed which you could almost lose between your fingers.
• And yeast which, once mixed into the flour, virtually disappears.
Neither seems particularly impressive.
Yet Jesus says:
“The kingdom of heaven is like…”
Like this.
• Small.
• Ordinary.
• Sometimes almost invisible.
• But growing.
And perhaps there couldn’t be two better pictures for 150 years of Mothers’ Union.
Because 150 years ago there wasn’t a worldwide organisation.
• There was Mary Sumner.
• There was a concern for mothers and families.
• There was faith, prayer and a willingness to do something.
There was a mustard seed.
It was planted. Others joined her. Others joined in. And it grew.
Today that mustard seed has become a worldwide Christian movement with millions of members across more than 80 countries.
Or, to borrow Paul’s language, it has borne fruit and grown throughout the world.
And that brings us wonderfully to this anniversary theme:
Join Us. Join In.
Join us.
Come and be part of this. There is room for you.
And join in.
Don’t simply stand at the edge and watch.
• Get involved.
• Play your part.
• Plant your seed.
But Jesus also talks about yeast.
Yeast works differently. It disappears into the flour. You can’t see it, but something is happening — quietly, gradually, from the inside out.
As well as the general kingdom of God – which Jesus talks about – it also seems to me a description of how MU’s ministry within the kingdom works as well
There is the visible growth of 150 years.
But underneath it are countless acts of Christian faithfulness which nobody notices.
Here in Ireland there is support for families facing difficult circumstances, those affected by imprisonment
and domestic abuse, older people and those experiencing isolation.
There is campaigning against gender-based violence.
And there are those ordinary acts of care which are almost impossible to count.
• A phone call.
• A visit.
• A cup of tea.
• A prayer.
• A lonely person remembered.
• Someone noticed.
• Someone cared for.
As a Church Leader - I want to thank you for this essential - so often unseen ministry which MU carries out.
There is the yeast.
Quietly working its way through our churches and communities.
And across the world the same thing is happening.
Literacy programmes. Savings groups. Vocational training. Parenting support. Work challenging violence and injustice and strengthening families and communities.
Often it happens through Mothers’ Union members who are already part of those communities.
• They know the people.
• They understand the needs.
• They are neighbours and friends.
The yeast works from the inside out.
• A woman learning to read.
• A family getting a desperately needed break.
• A survivor discovering that she isn’t alone.
• A Christian noticing somebody whom everybody else has overlooked.
Small things?
Perhaps.
But Jesus says:
This is what the Kingdom of heaven is like.
And Paul says:
The Gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the world.
But there is another important part of our Colossians reading.
Paul doesn’t simply give thanks for what has happened.
He prays for what comes next.
He prays that they will know God’s will, live lives worthy of the Lord, bear fruit in every good work and grow in their knowledge of God.
And that is a wonderful prayer for Mothers’ Union at 150.
Because anniversaries naturally make us look backwards.
We remember the stories and celebrate those who have gone before us — and so we should.
But the question isn’t simply:
What did God do?
It is also:
What is God doing now?
And:
Where is God calling the MU next?
Mary Sumner looked at the needs of her generation and responded.
And down through the years Mothers’ Union has had to do the same.
The world isn’t the same as it was in the 1800s, the 1970s or even the 1990s.
As part of preparation for this I’ve been reading A History of Mothers’ Union - written in 2009 - In the foreword the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time Rowan Williams -and his wife Jane Williams wrote - “[MU] continues to gather people from diverse cultures around the focal imperatives of mission and service. Long may it continue to do so for the good of the church and the world.
Reading this book - it occurs to me that there has - as with any organisation a journey of who MU has
been down through the era’s - and making sure it continues to grow and develop remaining relevant.
So the challenge is to keep asking:
• What are the pressures facing families today?
• Where are people lonely?
• Where are women and children vulnerable?
• Where are relationships struggling?
• Where are the new needs?
• And where might God be calling us to respond?
Some of your banners today remind us of Mary, the mother of Jesus — someone willing to risk saying yes to God and becoming part of his purposes.
So perhaps that is the challenge for Mothers’ Union today.
As individuals, as branches, as an area and as an organisation in the years ahead :
What radical yes might God be calling you to next?
And I want to leave you with three simple questions.
First: What seed can I plant?
• Who could you encourage?
• Who needs a phone call?
• Who could you pray for?
• What small act of kindness could you offer?
Sometimes we think:
“Somebody really should do something about that.”
And occasionally God answers:
“Yes. Why not you?”
Plant the seed that is in your hand.
Secondly: Where can I be the yeast?
Where has God already placed you?
In a family, a friendship, a workplace, a church or a community.
Perhaps there is a situation you cannot fix.
• But you can be present.
• You can listen.
• You can pray.
• You can bring kindness, hope and something of the presence of Jesus.
• Never underestimate what God can do through a faithful Christian presence.
And finally: Who can I invite to join in?
Because perhaps that is the particular challenge of this 150th anniversary.
Not simply to celebrate those who joined in before us, but to invite another generation to become part of what God is doing now.
Who could you invite?
Who might simply be waiting for somebody to say:
“There is a place for you. Come and join us.”
Jesus says the Kingdom begins like a mustard seed.
It works like yeast.
And Paul says the Gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world.
That is the story we celebrate today.
And it is a story which is not finished.
So:
Plant one seed. Be the yeast where God has placed you. Invite one person to join in.
Three small things.
Nothing spectacular.
But then again
the Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast.
And 150 years of Mothers’ Union reminds us what God can do when ordinary people faithfully say:
“Yes, I will join in.”
So today we rejoice.
We give thanks for what has been.
But we also look forward.
Plant the seed. Be the yeast. Join us. Join in.
And, in the words of Paul, may we continue:
“bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.”
Amen.
Let us pray
Loving God,
we thank you for 150 years of Mothers’ Union,
for Mary Sumner and all who have followed her,
for seeds faithfully planted,
for lives and communities quietly transformed,
and for the Gospel which continues to bear fruit and grow throughout the world.
Give us courage to plant the seeds you place into our hands.
Help us to be like yeast,
bringing your love, hope and peace
into our families, churches and communities.
Show us the people who need to hear your invitation,
and give us courage to say:
“Join us. Join in.”
May we bear fruit in every good work,
grow in our knowledge of you,
and never underestimate the small things you can use for your Kingdom.
And as we give thanks for all that has been,
give us faith and hope for all that is still to come.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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