Mothers' Union: Together let’s rise up against domestic abuse

​​Have you ever been grateful that your sat nav does not get impatient?
By Jane Chippindale
Published 4th Oct 2023, 10:19 BST
Updated 4th Oct 2023, 10:21 BST
We should be persistent in our outreach and look to our sat navs to find out how our goals can be achieved. Photo: AdobeStockWe should be persistent in our outreach and look to our sat navs to find out how our goals can be achieved. Photo: AdobeStock
We should be persistent in our outreach and look to our sat navs to find out how our goals can be achieved. Photo: AdobeStock

By Julia Tum, Mothers’ Union Huddersfield Episcopal Area President:

It does not get cross and say, “I told you to...”; it seems to know the best route; it corrects us when we go wrong; nudges us to the closest parking spaces and tells us a host of other information that we didn’t know we needed until we did!

I am not ashamed to say that I rely heavily on my sat nav, and I would be very worried if it failed me part way through a journey, since I wouldn’t know where I was!

I attended the Mothers’ Union Annual Gathering at York last weekend. It was for all MU members across the UK including all Ireland. It was inspiring and wonderful.

We were there so that we could share ideas and hear about the amazing activities undertaken across the world and how the many and varied gifts that members have, create life changing impacts.

There was a fantastic and wonderfully encouraging presentation from Sheran Harper, our worldwide president, who extolled the virtues of the MU and asked us not to keep our work a secret.

If we could have plotted all of the projects onto a sat nav, it would have whizzed around the world pausing at many places en route.

It is thought that 3.4 million people benefitted in 2022. Small multiple actions give awesome results.

The Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson, bishop of Kensington’s address focused on building bridges: bridges between the Church and the world; between the Church and MU members; between local branches, diocesan, provincial and across oceans; and bridges between the present and the future.

We certainly need a sat nav for all those bridges! And one that doesn’t give up on us if we go a little off track.

What is the MU? It is a hub of prayer, a well of support, it is involved in reaching out to others less fortunate than ourselves locally and internationally.

We should be persistent in our outreach and look to our Satnavs to find out how our goals can be achieved.

On Saturday, November 25 across the world the 16 Days of Activism will start. That day is known as the MU Global Day of Prayer. Our aim is to make sure that activism against domestic abuse happens throughout the year.

Here in Calderdale, there will be many MU initiatives to mark that day and at Huddersfield Parish Church at 12.30pm there will be a service focusing our prayers on victims, survivors, and perpetrators and on those who work in this field. At 1pm we will encircle the church standing proud against this injustice, in silence for three minutes. Join us. Can we have 1000 people there? Set your sat nav now, be there!

We will be collecting items for a “moving in pack” – all that a woman may need when she first arrives at a refuge eg soap, toothbrush, toothpaste and soap.

And we are also collecting items for a “moving on package”. This may include items that a family may need when they set up on their own eg cutlery, tea towels, washing up liquid and clothes pegs.

In the past we have taken games and toys, clothes and books and the agencies know they where they are most needed.

Together let’s rise up against domestic abuse.

I wonder who your sat nav really is… I know that mine is God and that through prayer and listening to Him, He will show me the way, and nudge me in the right direction.