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MOTHER’S DAY

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Donna M. Cox, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Professor of Music, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH

Worship Planning Notes

The following are some ideas for celebrating this year’s Mother’s Day.

1. Two to three weeks prior, ask members to record brief statements about the impact their mother or another woman has had on their faith development. Have the media ministry or volunteers create a short PowerPoint presentation or movie featuring some of the most poignant of these statements. Be sure to include speakers in all age categories.

2. Pass out index cards to the congregation a week or two prior to the service. Ask them to write brief statements about the woman who has most nurtured their faith. Create a bulletin board display with the cards. Encourage people to stop by and read them throughout the next few weeks. You might also include photos.

3. Introduce Contemporary Women of Faith. Help your congregation, school, club, etc. become familiar with some of the contemporary Mothers of our Faith Community, such as Rabbi Alysa Stanton, America’s first black female rabbi, Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina.

4. As congregants enter the sanctuary, give each a length of ribbon. Ask congregants to think of their mother, grandmother, or other woman who holds a special place in their hearts. Ask them to write the name of this special woman on the ribbon. During prayer time, ask people to bring their length of ribbon with them to the altar. Emphasize gratefulness during the prayer. Afterwards, ask people to link their ribbons, creating a long chain that should be draped in a conspicuous place throughout the service. This will signify the connectedness that is critical to building faith.

5. Open the service with a call to the village. While percussionists play upbeat African rhythms, have youth dancers escort the eldest mother into the sanctuary. Lead her to a place of honor near the front of the church, where she would be asked permission to continue to program. After permission is granted, she would be led to her seat and the worship service would begin with a joyous song.

6. Look for the family with the largest number of living generations of women and feature them during the worship service. If it is appropriate, ask some of them to speak about the role faith has played in their lives.

1. Litany, Responsive Reading, Invocation, or Call to Worship

Mother’s Day Liturgy

Leader:	Lord, on this day set aside to honor and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from your hands, and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving birth. We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mom, adopted mom, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother, or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our moms.
Leader:	We pray for moms whose children are grown.
Congregation:	Grant them joy and satisfaction for a job well done.
Leader:	We pray for new moms experiencing changes they could not predict.
Congregation:	Grant them rest and peace as they trust you for the future.
Leader:	We pray for pregnant women who will soon be moms.
Congregation:	Grant them patience and good counsel in the coming months.
Leader:	We pray for moms who face the demands of single parenthood.
Congregation:	Grant them strength and wisdom.
Leader:	We pray for moms who enjoy financial abundance.
Congregation:	Grant them time to share with their families.
Leader:	We pray for moms who are raising their children in poverty.
Congregation:	Grant them relief and justice.
Leader:	We pray for step-moms.
Congregation:	Grant them patience and understanding and love.
Leader:	We pray for moms who are separated from their children.
Congregation:	Grant them faith and hope.
Leader:	We pray for moms in marriages that are in crisis.
Congregation:	Grant them support and insight.
Leader:	We pray for moms who have lost children.
Congregation:	Grant them comfort in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Leader:	We pray for mothers who aborted their children.
Congregation:	Grant them healing and peace.
Leader:	We pray for moms who gave up their children for adoption.
Congregation:	Grant them peace and confidence as they trust in your providence.
Leader:	We pray for adoptive mothers.
Congregation:	Grant them joy and gratitude for the gift you have provided.
Leader:	We pray for girls and women who think about being moms.
Congregation:	Grant them wisdom and discernment.
Leader:	We pray for women who desperately want, or wanted, to be moms.
Congregation:	Grant them grace to accept your timing and will.
Leader:	We pray for all women who have assumed the mother’s role in a child’s life.
Congregation:	Grant them joy and the appreciation of others.
Leader:	We pray for those people present who are grieving the loss of their mother in the past year.
Congregation:	Grant them comfort and hope in Christ’s resurrection.
Prayer (All mothers are invited to come to the front of the sanctuary to receive a blessing through prayer and the laying on of hands.)
Leader:	Lord, we thank you for the gift of motherhood. We thank you for the many examples of faithful mothers in Scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Lois. Hear now the first names of other women who have inspired us by their motherly examples . . . We are mindful this day of all these women, and especially Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the courage in faith to say “Yes” to your calling. May these women gathered here today emulate these examples of faith. And may they model for all the rest of us what it means to be your disciple. Bless them on this special day; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Litany
Leader:	For our mothers, who have given us life and love, may we show them reverence and love,
Congregation:	We pray to the Lord…
Leader:	For mothers who have lost a child through death, that their faith may give them hope, and may their family and friends support and console them,
Congregation:	We pray to the Lord…
Leader:	For women who, though without children of their own, like mothers have nurtured and cared for us,
Congregation:	We pray to the Lord…
Leader:	For mothers who have been unable to be a source of strength, who have not responded to their children and have not sustained their families,
Congregation:	We pray to the Lord…
Leader:	Loving Mother God, like an earthly mother who gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church. Bless every Christian mother. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.
Congregation:	Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect.
All:	Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

2. Hymns
(a) Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth. By Jean Janzen and H. Percy Smith

(b) He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Needs. Arr. by Dottie Rambo

(c) For All the Saints. By William How and Ralph Vaughn Williams

(d) Faith of Our Mothers. Arr. by James. G. Walton

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs             
(a) We Are Marching (Siyahamba/Caminando).

(b) I Opened My Mouth. By Lela Anderson

(c) Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door. Arr. by Raymond Wise

(d) Give Me Jesus. Arr. by Verolga Nix

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) My Tribute. By Andraé Crouch

(b) God Is Here. By Israel Houghton, Martha Munizzi, and Meleasa Houghton

(c) My Life, My Love, My All. By Kirk Franklin. Arr. by Dave Williamson

(d) God’s Got It. By Jimmy Hicks and Darrell McFadden

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) When You Believe (from The Prince of Egypt). By Stephen Schwartz

(b) Mama’s Song. By Kirk Franklin

(c) A Song for Mama. By Kenneth Edmonds

6. Anthems
(a) Rejoice in the Lord. By Diane White-Clayton

(b) Ascribe to the Lord. By Rosephanye Powell

(c) Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor. By Rosephanye Powell

(d) I Will Trust in the Lord. By Undine Smith Moore

(e) Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee. By Undine Smith Moore

7. Modern Songs (Written between 2005–2010)
(a) You Covered Me. By Donald Lawrence

(b) Won’t He Make a Way? By Patrick Lundy

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Come Let’s Celebrate. By Rosephanye Powell

(b) Celebrate. By Donald Lawrence

(c) Shake Yourself Loose. By Bernard Hale, Kaija Haley, and Vickie Winans

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) A Mother’s Prayer. By J.W. Van DeVenter and W.S. Weeden

(b) I Need You to Survive. By David Frazier

(c) Jesus, I Love You. By Jeff Switzer

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) I Call You Faithful. By Bobby Price and Kevin Walker

(b) For Every Mountain. By Kurt Carr

(c) Philippians 4:12 (Stand). By Stephen Hurd

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Give Thanks. By Henry Smith

(b) Come Home. By Stephen Hurd

(c) Restoring the Years. By Donald Lawrence

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) The Lord Bless You and Keep You. By Peter Lutkin

(b) Sevenfold Amen. By Peter Lutkin

(c) Good Time. By Arvis Strictland-Jones

13. Additional Resources
(a) Mothers’ Prayers: Prayers by and for Mothers. This is a wonderful collection of poetry for all mothers: adoptive, single, those with ill or disabled children, empty-nest mothers, those who grieve, and those with adult children.

(b) Poetry about mothers
1. “Phenomenal Woman.” By Maya Angelou

2. The Images of Mother. Author unknown

The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE
My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE
My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE
My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE
Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that either.
16 YEARS OF AGE
Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE
That old woman? She’s way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE
Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 YEARS OF AGE
Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion.
60 YEARS OF AGE
Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE
Wish I could talk it over with Mom once more.

(c) Mothers of Disabled Children. By Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how these mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

“Armstrong, Beth: son; patron saint, Matthew. Forest, Marjorie: daughter; patron saint, Cecilia.

“Rutledge, Carrie: twins; patron saint . . . Gerard. He’s used to profanity.”

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles. “Give her a blind child.”

The angel is curious. “Why this one, God? She’s so happy.”

“Exactly,” says God. “Could I give a child with a handicap to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel.”

“But has she patience?” asks the angel.

“I don’t want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she’ll handle it.”

“But, Lord, I don’t think she even believes in you.”

God smiles. “No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness.”

The angel gasps. “Selfishness? Is that a virtue?”

God nods. “If she can’t separate herself from the child occasionally, she’ll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says ‘Momma’ for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

“I will permit her to see clearly the things I see—ignorance, cruelty, prejudice—and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.”

“And what about her patron saint?” asks the angel, pen poised in midair.

God smiles. “A mirror will suffice.”

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

Worship Planning Notes
3. Read about Rabbi Alysa Stanton, America’s first black female rabbi, Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina, at http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7639090&page

1. Litany, Responsive Reading, Invocation, or Call to Worship
Mother’s Day Liturgy
Location:

Litany: “Mother’s Day Prayer”
Location:

2. Hymns
(a) Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth. By Jean Janzen and H. Percy Smith
Location:

(b) He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Needs. Arr. by Dottie Rambo
Location:

(c) For All the Saints. By William How and Ralph Vaughn Williams
Location:

(d) Faith of Our Mothers. Arr. by James. G. Walton
Location:

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) We Are Marching (Siyahamba/Caminando).
Location:

(b) I Opened My Mouth. By Lela Anderson
Location:

(c) Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door. Arr. by Raymond Wise
Location:

(d) Give Me Jesus. Arr. by Verolga Nix
Location:

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) My Tribute. By Andraé Crouch
Location:

(b) God Is Here. By Israel Houghton, Martha Munizzi, and Meleasa Houghton
Location:

(c) My Life, My Love, My All. By Kirk Franklin. Arr. by Dave Williamson
Location:

(d) God’s Got It. By Jimmy Hicks and Darrell McFadden
Location:

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) When You Believe (from The Prince of Egypt). By Stephen Schwartz
Location:

(b) Mama’s Song. By Kirk Franklin
Location:

(c) A Song for Mama. By Kenneth Edmonds
Location:

6. Anthems
(a) Rejoice in the Lord. By Diane White-Clayton
Location:

(b) Ascribe to the Lord. By Rosephanye Powell
Location:

(c) Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor. By Rosephanye Powell
Location:

(d) I Will Trust in the Lord. By Undine Smith Moore
Location:

(e) Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee. By Undine Smith Moore
Location:

7. Modern Songs (Written between 2005–2010)
(a) You Covered Me. By Donald Lawrence
Location:

(b) Won’t He Make a Way? By Patrick Lundy
Location:

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Come Let’s Celebrate by Rosephanye Powell
Location:

(b) Celebrate. By Donald Lawrence
Location:

(c) Shake Yourself Loose. By Bernard Haley, Kaija Haley, and Vickie Winans
Location:

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) A Mother’s Prayer. By J.W. Van DeVenter and W.S. Weeden
Location:

(b) I Need You to Survive. By David Frazier
Location:

(c) Jesus, I Love You. By Jeff Switzer
Location:

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) I Call You Faithful. By Bobby Price and Kevin Walker
Location:

(b) For Every Mountain. By Kurt Carr
Location:

(c) Philippians 4:12 (Stand). By Stephen Hurd
Location:

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Give Thanks. By Henry Smith
Location:

(b) Come Home. By Stephen Hurd
Location:

(c) Restoring the Years. By Donald Lawrence
Location:

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) The Lord Bless You and Keep You. By Peter Lutkin
Location:

(b) Sevenfold Amen. By Peter Lutkin
Location:

(c) Good Time. By Arvis Strictland-Jones
Location:

13. Additional Resources
(a) Mothers’ Prayers: Prayers by and for Mothers
Online location: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Mothers/

(b) Poetry about mothers
1. Phenomenal Woman. By Maya Angelou
Online location: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/phenomenal-woman/

2. The Images of Mother. Author unknown
Online location: http://www.topbabypages.com/momwritings.html

(c) Bombeck, Erma. “Mothers of Disabled Children,” May 11, 1980. Forever, Erma: Best-Loved Writings from America’s Favorite Humorist. Kansas City, KS: Andrews and McMeel, 1996, 165–166.

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