Local Mums At The Table groups in Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand organised special Mother’s Day events on May 13 to connect with mums in their community.
Forty community mums and their families attended the events held both at Warragul Adventist church (Victoria) and 3am Ryde Adventist Church (New South Wales). In New Zealand, seven mums participated in a Mother’s Day giveaway organised by the Invercargill Mums At The Table group.
Local businesses sponsored food and prizes for a Mother’s Day breakfast at the Warragul church. There was also a pamper area for mums to receive massages and foot soaks.
“Church leadership swapped our church worship time to straight after [breakfast], which meant for a smooth invitation of guests into church,” said Elise Machalek, moderator of the West Gippsland Mums At The Table group (and Warragul church member). “We partnered with the Pathfinders in both planning and staffing and we couldn’t have done it without their help!”
The Mother’s Day events were a collaboration between local volunteer Mums At The Table moderators and their churches or schools.
“[The mums from our group and their families] attended the kids’ Sabbath School, which started out with a combined song service and then split off into different classes,” said Leslie Gwen, moderator of the Ryde Mums At The Table group (known as Bubs & Books Playgroup). “While kids had their Bible story time and craft, the mums had massages and a hand scrub. After kids’ Sabbath school, families had their photos taken at a photo booth and morning tea. There was plenty of support from church members. The women’s ministry at church organised some pot plants and Christian books as Mother’s Day gifts.”
Mums At The Table, a ministry of Adventist Media, supports mums in the community through online content as well as local events, organised by volunteer moderators from local churches.
“Breakfast was really good,” said West Gippsland group member Deeana. “It was really nice to meet new people there.”
“I feel blessed for the invitation and for new connections made,” Agnes from West Gippsland agreed. “Forgot what eating without interruption as like.”
The Mums At The Table group in Invercargill purchased two fundraising gift bags from the Southland Adventist Christian School and offered them as a giveaway on the group’s Facebook page. Members of the Facebook group were asked to nominate a mum friend and why she was worth celebrating. The winner was picked at random, with both the mum friend and nominator receiving a gift bag each.
“It’s so exciting to see the collaborations between the Mums At The Table group and their churches and schools. That has always been the intention of the Mums At The Table ministry: the entire church working together to reach and support mums in the community,” said Melody Tan, project manager of Mums At The Table.
“All in all, it was certainly a worthwhile event and a good partnership between Pathfinders, church and Mums At The Table,” said Ms Machalek.
There are currently 19 local groups in Australia and New Zealand, moderated by 44 church members, representing 22 Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Depending on the moderators’ availability, local events—or meet-ups—range from weekly playgroups to playground and café catch-ups or even dessert nights.
Churches or individuals interested in being part of the ministry can contact Mums At The Table at hello@MumsAtTheTable.com.
