St Mary’s with St John’s branch are proud to belong to the world wide Mothers’ Union organisation, joining over 3.6 million women and men, living in 79 countries, who believe in the importance of families. As well as encouraging and supporting families and marriage, members work to reach out as God’s family to those who are isolated, in trouble, or in need of help.
Founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner, her vision has continued to grow and where, through fellowship, programmes, policy and prayer, Mothers’ Union members around the world change lives and bring Christ’s hope.
As part of the Guildford Diocese MU, we in the Walton Parish, help play a part in the work done throughout the diocese. From helping with “Welcome Packs” for the four women’s refuge centres, providing toilet bags for the A&E hospital units for people who are admitted suddenly into hospital, providing wool for different support schemes and knitting items for neo-natal units. We support AFIA, the “Away From It All” scheme, which provides holiday breaks and day outings for families who are unable or who have never had the opportunity to have time away to enjoy the sea or countryside.
Many individual branches help in the women’s prisons in Send and Downview and men’s prisons, High Down and Coldingly. They aid Mother and Toddler groups, hold Marriage Preparation courses, help in Family Contact Centres, run parenting courses.
Here in Walton we help with the Toddlers Praise service and welcome the Baptism families for the afternoon occasions. Our “Welcome Packs” go to the local Thames Homeless house. Every year in May time, we support the “Genesis” clothes collection for the charity shop which serves a large deprived housing estate in Sheffield. So there are many things done quietly in local communities by the Mothers’ Union members.
National website: www.themothersunion.org
Guildford website: www.muguildford.org.uk