Preparing for Mother’s Day: Church Leadership Edition

After Christmas and Easter, Mother’s Day is the most highly attended Sunday in churches across America. More men, women, and children will be in attendance than normal, making it a great opportunity to serve, encourage, and teach people who aren’t normally sitting in a Sunday service. 

As your church staff and volunteers prepare for this upcoming holiday, you’ll need to consider both the logistics of the services and the heaviness that this day can carry for some. While not every church service is going to sit well with every person in the room, it’s important to make this day as friendly and welcoming as possible to people who don’t typically attend church (and for those who do).

From celebrating moms wisely to caring for those in need, this Mother’s Day has the potential to leave a positive impression on the hearts and lives of those attending your church service. Take these ideas into consideration as you plan your upcoming Mother’s Day service to most effectively meet your congregation where they are and to love them well in that place.

Make Moms Feel Special 

Moms are the heart of most families, and they work tirelessly to care for their families. This is one single day that is devoted to them, and they should be celebrated every step of the way! Talk with your church leadership team about how you can honor moms and make them feel special on Mother’s Day. Perhaps you have some flowers, chocolates, or jewelry for them to take home. Maybe you offer family photos before service so they have a nice picture as a keepsake. Or you might want to plan a special craft for the kids to do during church to bring to their moms after the service. You may want to take up a special donation in church for a mom in need or for a family who has recently lost a mother. Regardless of how you want to do it, find a way to celebrate the moms in your church and lovingly show them how special and important they are.

…But Don’t Make It Awkward

We’ve heard stories of churches that ask moms to stand or have church leaders hand out gifts to women as they walk through the doors. While the sentiment is nice, it puts non-mothers in a very awkward position. If you’re going to honor moms in a special way, be sure to consider those who may feel uncomfortable in that situation and work to decrease the tension. If you’re going to give away something to moms, rather than having people hand out gifts and guessing who receives them, simply put a table near the doors and encourage moms to grab a gift as they walk out. If you want to ask moms to stand up to be honored, maybe reconsider that. Does the woman who just had a miscarriage stand? What about someone whose adult child is estranged? How will someone feel in that moment if they’re struggling with infertility? There are a lot of sides to this coin, and we know the intentions are good, but be sure to think through possible tension in these moments. If you want to honor moms in an obvious way, consider asking some non-mom females how they would feel in a particular situation. 

Keep in mind that this avoidance of discomfort is not to downplay moms or take anything special away from their day, but no mom wants to see her friends uncomfortable, even in the midst of her own celebration. Additionally, no one should be made to feel less than during a church service, even if it’s unintentional, so keeping this keen awareness at the forefront is essential to planning a good Mother’s Day service.

Highlight the Variations on Motherhood

Not every woman is a mother in the traditional sense, but many women play the role of female mentor or confidant, and they should be recognized on Mother’s Day as well. Again, this isn’t to take away from traditional moms, but it truly takes a village to raise and love children, and most women are happy to honor the other women in their lives who make mothering easier. This can include aunts, cousins, friends, and teachers. Grandmothers, step-grandmothers, foster mothers, step-mothers, and spiritual mothers also play a significant role in children’s lives as well and should be honored.

Be Sensitive to Those Who Are Hurting

Some people avoid church on Mother’s Day because of the hurt it can stir up. While this is understandable, churches never want to cause hurt, whether intentionally or unintentionally, especially on a day like Mother’s Day. Consider those in your congregation who may be struggling and hurting on Mother’s Day, and be sure to acknowledge them in some way. 

People who have lost their mothers recently or those who have lost a child, people who have struggled through infertility or failed adoptions, women who have had miscarriages or abortions, women who are not yet moms but long to be, those who have put their children up for adoption, those who have distance between themselves and their children, single dads who are facing Mother’s Day alone, and people who had a hard relationship with their own mother–they all need the reminder that they are seen and loved. They need to know that they are cared for and that their church family will grieve with them as they need.

You can focus on celebrating and honoring mothers well while still acknowledging that this is a hard day for many. Show your congregation that you see the struggles and care for each person equally. Simply recognizing these difficulties and giving a nod to these struggles can make people feel validated and free from their grief and heartache, and it can keep them in church on Mother’s Day in the future.

Focus on Parenting as a Reflection of God

As the message is being prepared for this special service, again take into account the feelings behind how your congregation will receive the message. This is a great opportunity to discuss the love of a mother as a reflection of God’s love. While not all earthly mothers love well, your church leadership can ensure the focus of the entire day is on reflecting God’s love in our relationships. Many people tend to grasp God’s unconditional love in a brand new way after becoming parents, and this can be a great stepping-off point for a message. God’s love as our Heavenly Father is the perfected version of earthly parenting, and the goal as parents should be to show His unconditional love to those under our care.

Consider a Special Offering

As mentioned above, sometimes a special offering on Mother’s Day can help ease the pain of the day for those who are hurting. Generosity brings out the best in people, and seeing someone in need can often give us perspective on our own personal struggles. Maybe your church has a single mom or dad, a widow, or a young family who could use some extra love and assistance. Consider collecting a special donation in church ‍on Mother’s Day to help someone. You can also open this up for online church donations on your church app and give members a week or several days to donate. Church leaders can follow up and share with the congregation how much was given to encourage them to continue making a difference and giving generously out of love for others. 

We know that you always want what’s best for your church, and we understand that high attendance days can add stress as you want to make the service perfect. Prayerfully consider all these options to honor moms well while still validating the needs and hurts of others in your church, and don’t hesitate to connect with Tithely to learn how you can manage your church and process donations for churchewith our easy-to-use church-app and software program.