Mother's Union and Women's Guild

The Mothers Union is a worldwide Anglican organization founded in 1876 by Mary Elizabeth Sumner specially concern with all that strengthens and preserves marriage and Christian family life.

This guiding principle is what informs all their activities. Also the women Guild fulfil their aim and objective among women in the church. Membership is open to all baptised, confirmed and married women whose whose marriage is blessed in the church.

The organisation was founded by Mary Elizabeth Sumner 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, Sumner wanted to bring mothers of all social classes together to provide support for one another and to be trained in motherhood, something which she saw as a vocation.

The Objectives of this ministry are:

1. To encourage parents bring up their children in the faith and life of the church.

2. To maintain worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service.

3. To promote conditions in society favorable to stable family life and the protection of children.

4.To help those whose family life has met adversity.

To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and to promote its wider understanding.

Its vision is of a world where God's love is shown through loving, respectful, and flourishing relationships.

Aim & Purpose: To demonstrate the Christian faith in action by the transformation of communities worldwide through the nurture of the family in its many forms.

Mothers' Union emphasises the importance of prayer underpinning its work. Each year, Mothers' Union organises a Wave of Prayer. Each diocese is given a set day to pray for other dioceses, and within each diocese each branch is given a specific time to pray. This gives to members a sense of unity in prayer for one another as the wave of prayer moves from branch to branch and from diocese to diocese.

THE WOMEN'S GUILD

The Women’s Guild is a Church Organisation for all baptized women in the Anglican Church of Nigeria. The Organisation started in 1921 when all churches in Nigeria were under Lagos Diocese.
On May 23rd 1921, The Late Rt. Revd. & Mrs. Jones had a meeting with British Women Missionaries in Nigeria and all Clergy wives at the Bishop’s court at Marina in Lagos to deliberate on:

1. How women could have the opportunity of Diocesan Conference such as The Synod for men whereby women could fellowship together in the Word of God, grow and stand firm in the Faith and be like biblical godly women.

2. How women’s mission would have and impact in the Anglican Church.

3. How women can have a forum to access Diocesan and Provincial information.

The meeting approved the establishment of Parish and Archdeaconry meetings for women.

In 1921, First Diocesan Meeting took place. It was called “Women’s Conference” Mrs. Frances Melville Jones, the wife of the Diocesan Bishop, became the first Diocesan President.

In 1923, the name was changed to Lagos Diocesan Women’s Guild”. That same year the Girls’ Guild was established for young girls.

As new Dioceses are created, Diocesan Women’s Guild are also established in the Dioceses