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Mothers are the unsung heroes of every church community, often dedicating countless hours to volunteer work and raising their families. With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s time for churches to show some appreciation! From heartfelt sermons to creative activities, there are endless ways to celebrate the mothers in our lives. In this article, we’ll explore some fun and meaningful ways for churches to honor these incredible women. So, let’s dive in and make this Mother’s Day extra special!
Quick Note: You’ll notice we switch between Mother’s and Mothers’ in this article. Those aren’t typos. It is our way to remember that some of us are lucky enough to have more than one mother. We want to honor mothers of all kinds.
Traditionally, many churches use this special Sunday to honor moms during the worship service. In the church I grew up in Indiana, every mother was greeted at the front door and given a flower as they entered the sanctuary. Our church also hosted a special Mother-Daughter Breakfast before worship. We did a similar Father-Son event for dads on their special day. Let’s roll up our sleeves and do our best to honor moms in creative ways.
Who says you have to wait until the designated day to honor our moms? Our moms surely deserve special love and attention on more than just a given Sunday. Use social media to do a memory-filled “countdown” to Mothers’ Day. Post images that celebrate mothers and ask your social media followers to comment with a cherished memory of their mom. Each day, ask for memories of a specific type to help guide the comments. For example, one day you might ask people to tell about a special talent their mother(s) had/have. The next day, ask people to comment about a favorite song of their moms.
There are two benefits to this. First, the comments will become filled with cherish memories that will strengthen the bonds of your community of faith. People will discover commonalities between their families as they share. Your church should also see a boost in social media exposure. Facebook, for example, ranks posts higher that are receiving a lot of interaction (like comments). This will increase the odds that your post will show up on more timelines.
If you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably see hashtags. Create a special challenge for your congregation and create a hashtag to go with it. For example, ask people to post a photo of their mother(s) and use a hashtag. Broadway United Church of Christ might use a hashtag such as #BroadwayUCCMoms. People can view all the posts honoring their moms by searching for that special hashtag.
Ask your children to record a quick video about their moms. For example, you could ask kids to describe their moms in one word and then explain why they selected that word. Or, you might ask them to share one of the things they like best about their moms. Edit all of the videos together into a special tribute you play during your worship. You could also post the video on social media (get proper permissions from parents first).
For a variation of this, ask adults in your congregation to do the same thing. Be aware that different people have different experiences with families. For many, this is a day of celebration and joy. However, Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) are not pleasant days for everyone. For some, the day brings with it memories of grief or struggle.
Sometimes, it’s best to go right to the source. Motherhood is not a static experience. Select three women from your congregation and ask them to recall their journey as a mother. One interesting approach to this might be to highlight women at different stages of motherhood. If your congregation has a new mother, a mother with children, and a mother who’s children are grown, give each of them a chance to share reflections on their journey. How powerful, refreshing and enlightening it could be to hear mothers share the struggles and joys of their experience.
Bible Verses to Celebrate Mothers
Interesting Facts About Mother’s Day
