Mother's Union (MU)
The Mothers’ Union (often abbreviated as MU) is a worldwide movement of Anglican women, whose aim is to strengthen and preserve marriage and family life through Christianity. The MU calculates its membership to about 3.6 million in 78 countries.
History
The organisation was founded by Mary Summer in 1876 in the Church of England parish of Old Alresford, near Winchester, where her husband was rector. She was inspired to start the movement after the birth of her first grandchild. Remembering her own difficulties when she was first a mother, Summer wanted to bring mothers of all social classes together to provide support for the one another and to be trained in motherhood, something which she saw as a vocation.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the MU is to strengthen and preserve marriage and family life through Christianity.
In order to carry out this aim, the MU’s objectives are:
- To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and promote its wider understanding
- To encourage parents to bring up their children in the faith and life of the church
- To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service
- To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children
- To help those whose family life has met with adversity