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Mothering Sunday

Katherine Jenkins meets new mums at a Maternity Unit, and Pam Rhodes finds out about a special service for those who find church too painful on Mothering Sunday.

To celebrate Mothering Sunday, Katherine Jenkins meets parents and their newborn babies at Basildon's Maternity Unit. It's particularly poignant for Katherine, as she's expecting her second child this April. She also talks to two midwives about the joys and the challenges of their work, and how they feel called by God to do their job. Katherine also meets Katharine Hill, UK director of the charity Care for the Family to hear her tips for parenthood and learns about often overlooked references in the Bible of maternal language to describe God.

Pam Rhodes meets Lizzie Lowrie, who held a service in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral entitled Mother's Day Runaways last year. It was aimed at the increasing number of women who, for reasons of loss, singleness or infertility, cannot bear to be in church for a traditional Mothering Sunday service. The idea came from Lizzie's own personal journey - happily married to a trainee vicar, she expected children to follow, but has since suffered six miscarriages.

Mother Pippa Ankers talks of bringing up her son Barney who has Down's syndrome. Barney speaks of his strong Christian faith and shows off his drumming skills, while Pippa shares her experiences of raising a child with additional needs.

Music:
Our Father God in Heaven from St Alban's Church, Bristol
For the Beauty of the Earth from Church of St Cross, Winchester
Blessed Be Your Name from City Gates Church, Ilford
Forty Days and Forty Nights from Hereford Cathedral
Ave Maria performed by The Priests
What a Beautiful Name It Is from New Wine Festival
Now Thank We All Our God from St Patrick's Church, Dungannon.

34 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 Mar 2018 13:55

Stories

Meet the babies!
Katherine Jenkins introduces the programme for Mothering Sunday from Basildon Maternity Unit and meets new parents and their babies and chats to Christian midwife Joanne Hoarre

Why Mothering Sunday can be a painful day
Midwife and bereavement specialist Debbie explains how her faith helps her through the challenging days when babies don鈥檛 survive.

Pam Rhodes meets Lizzie Lowrie who has suffered 6 miscarriages and as a result has set up an alternative church service for others who for reasons of loss find Mothering Sunday difficult.

Parenting tips and God as a Mother
Katherine Jenkins meets Katharine Hill of Christian Charity Care for the Family and asks her about parenting tips. But Katharine also explains how the image of God as Father is not the only image in the Bible and that God is sometimes described using maternal imagery.

Parenting a child with additional needs
Pippa explains the emotions she felt when she discovered minutes after giving birth that her third child had Down鈥檚 Syndrome. She explains how life with Barney, now 24, is so different to the fears she had at the time. Barney also speaks about his Christian faith and his interests.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Katherine Jenkins
Presenter Pam Rhodes
Executive Producer Cat Lewis
Executive Producer Emyr Afan
Producer David Waters
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Production Company Avanti Media

Broadcast