Is it a font or is it a kitchen?
Is it a pulpit or is it an oven?
At St Cynllo’s Mothering Sunday “Bake Off” Service they were both. At the back of the church our young bakers worked their magic on the waiting confectionary whilst the rest of us lifted up our voices in song.
Next we had some humorous thoughts on “Things my mother taught me” followed by shared memories of baking related memories.
Another hymn, then the youngsters came forward and helped with putting some very special ingredients (written words, so not too messy!) into the mixing bowl, giving them a good stir, pouring them into the cake tin and sliding them into the ‘oven’ to bake.
As the cake was cooking we had “Pat a cake, pat a cake baker’s man” and the story of Moses in the bulrushes.
Was the cake cooked now? Yes – it was just right. There in big letters at the front was the word MUM – a very special cake indeed! Hardly surprising really with ingredients such as love, patience, fun and laughter.
The address considered the gratitude we owe not only for all that our mothers, grandmothers and all in a position of nurturing do, but also had in mind those in less comfortable and settled situations than ourselves. We were reminded that Moses’s mother was prepared to make a sacrifice to try and secure his future, as were the parents of those children sent to a foreign country with the Kinder Transport and those of the evacuees sent away from our cities during WW2. Our prayers were with all those still facing such challenging situations in this troubled world today.
On a lighter note, our young bakers then distributed their beautifully decorated little cakes which were soon washed down with a welcome cup of tea.
Many thanks to all who contributed, especially the youngsters and those who brought them along. As ever, they really made the day!
Words: Pam Livingstone-Lawn Photos: Michael Brown