What’s the point of MU?
The badge sums up what we stand for - the cross and an image of the world. It does what it says on the tin. So let's think about the important - question what is the MU for? What many think we are for is to meet together, have a up of tea and perhaps cake and meet together for fellowship. But that’s not all by any means. We may be small in number but we are responsible for great things. Every time we pay our subs, buy a raffle ticket, make a cake meet together and pray together amazing things happen and they happen worldwide.
Our prayer upholds millions of members around the world. They are uplifted and energised by that prayer. Our financial contribution is spent in important and diverse ways - to give a struggling family a holiday in our diocesan caravan, to support prison visits by entertaining the children, to buy hens for women to start up a business and gain independence, and to fund literacy initiatives so that women aren't cheated when they go to market. The list is endless. And remember importantly because we have MU workers on the ground across the world we know that the money reaches the places where the need is.
Why are we here? Well we are part of a global Christian charity - membership 4 million strong, providing a support network for families since 1876. We campaign for policies which strengthen family life, focus on ending gender based violence, and gender inequality. We lobby against the commercialisation of childhood. The MU sends representatives annually to the UN to a committee (CSW) exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Phew! We are working as ambassadors for Christ and our goal is to see all people enjoy loving, respectful and flourishing relationships. Now that's truly amazing.
So the quite small things we do together can amount to truly big results. We are divided into branches and some of them are quite small in relation to the MU mighty oak but we are all important - the smallest branches grow leaves and without branches the tree will wither.
But hang on where do we fit in locally? Well each member does fit in. Even the smallest pebble dropped into the lake will cause a ripple at the edge.
So let's think about our faith. It's like a reaching out of our hands. We also do this also in our wave of prayer and in our quiet day in the in Cathedral, in our Archdeaconry Eucharist in the Cathedral, in our Advent Carol Service and in our branch meetings. All expressions of our faith in a God who loves and cares for us all.
Our object and aims remain the same but what is family now? How do we define family and how can we change and adapt to be relevant to that model. Just one example is our parenting workshops. I leave you with that big question to ponder.
But as well as all these big initiatives and projects and policies, alongside it all and perhaps the centre heart wood of the oak tree is what drives us as individuals. It is the heart of each one of us. It is our love for one another, our fellowship and nurturing of each other and our prayer, that Mary Sumner, our founder, gave us, is to touch as many lives as possible for God whether through the words we speak, the prayers we breathe or the life we live.
If you're are interested in joining contact the blog and become part of something amazing.
