Hello from our DP!
Dear Fellow Members,
As I write this letter, we are enjoying some lovely late summer weather. I do hope you all had a relaxing time and have been able to interact with friends and family. We were delighted to be able to go to Edinburgh in July to see the family for the first time in 17 months.
Mothers’ Union meetings will soon be starting again. As I said in my last letter, your branch leader and committee will have ensured that all protocols have been met, and it will be safe for you to join with others, though perhaps meetings will not be the same as before. I look forward to seeing many of you at Area Services in the not too distant future.
I’m sure you all know about Mary Sumner, our founder, but do you know about Annabella Hayes, the lady responsible for founding MU in Ireland? This year marks the centenary of the deaths of both of these ladies.
Annabella was born in 1847 and founded the first MU branch in Ireland, at Raheny just outside Dublin in 1887. On 21st August MU members from all over Ireland gathered at St Fintan’s Cemetery, Sutton to mark the rededication of her grave, and this was followed by a church service in All Saints’ Raheny. The service is available on YouTube, and I would encourage you, if possible, to watch this and you will learn a lot about Annabella. There is also some information about Annabella on the All-Ireland website.
Our All-Ireland President, June, used this opportunity to complete a walk as part of her ‘21 in 21’ campaign for Mums in May. She has now completed 24 walks. She plans to do her third walk in Mid Connor on 13th October. You will hear more about that nearer the time.
Before then we have the Annual Gathering on Saturday 25th September. This was originally intended to be held in Belfast, but will now be a virtual meeting, so once again you will be able to watch the proceedings on YouTube.
Might I leave you with these words from Psalm 37 verse 4
‘Delight yourself in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart’
As we go forward into a new year of MU activity, we thank God for our wonderful organisation and for the ladies who founded it.
With my love,
Sally
