The Adventist Media-produced Mums At The Table magazine will cease publication with the April/May 2020 issue due to a lack of donor funding. Other aspects of the multimedia ministry have not been affected by the decision.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make, to herald the end of what I’ve come to affectionately call ‘my second-born’,” said Melody Tan, editor of the magazine since its launch in September 2017.
In August last year, the magazine converted from a monthly to a bi-monthly publication to address the funding issues and introduced a small subscription fee from the December 2019/January 2020 edition to help meet costs.
“Sadly, however, a few months on, we’ve crunched the numbers, looked at the data and come to the sad conclusion that in order to ensure the viability of all the different aspects of Mums At The Table, we are unable to sustain the cost of printing and distributing a magazine.” [pullquote]
Expert parenting advice and content will still be available on the Mums At The Table website. The Mums At The Table TV show will continue to be produced and be available on free-to-air television in New Zealand, as well as online, thanks to some funding from Hope Channel New Zealand.
Ms Tan said the ministry’s focus will now be on the final phase of the Mums At The Table strategic goal: a partnership program to connect mums from its thriving digital community with local Adventist churches.
“We have some 5000 mums in our Facebook group and more than 6000 mums on our mailing list. One thing many of these mums have been crying out for is friendship and support,” said Ms Tan.
“And our Adventist churches, with their playgroups, Adventurers, Pathfinders and other family-friendly events, are the perfect place for them.”
Magazine subscribers will receive refund information in early April, after the April/May issue has been dispatched. There will be an option for subscribers to continue to support the ministry by donating their refund.
Mums At The Table is a multimedia ministry of Adventist Media. Churches and mums interested in being a part of the ministry can contact hello@MumsAtTheTable.com. To become a donor or be on the mailing list, go to MumsAtTheTable.com.
