EPIC Moms: It Takes a Village
A mother’s work of patient shepherding and self-giving
love closely mirrors God’s own care for us. But parenting
young children can be a difficult task, and the demands on
energy and schedule can be isolating.That’s why support
and fellowship among mothers can be a deeply powerful
ministry. It not only can provide rest, rejuvenation and
strengthening for moms to do their work, but it also
can reconnect them to a community of those in similar
circumstances and to the broader “village” of support.
The mothers’ community becomes, in a way,
an “organ” in the body of Christ. In connecting to this
community, moms—and their families—become more
aware of their greater membership in Christ’s body.
EPIC Moms was born when a few mothers
began a discussion with members of the clergy and
lay community in the Richmond area, including staff
members of the Diocese of Virginia and local churches.
Michele Burt, of St.Thomas’, Richmond, remembers
the origin of the name, EPIC: “I was thinking, ‘this will
be epic if it really comes to fruition!’We started working
with it and created an acronym for ‘Episcopal Parishes in
Communion’ to support moms.”
Burt adds, “Due to many years of infertility, I had
painfully watched so many of my friends have this amazing
experience of forming families together. But when my
family formed 10 years after everyone else started, I felt
a void not having a group to share it with. I felt like the
Church should be a natural place to find that fellowship.
But there was not something already in place to provide
a more intimate walk with other moms. I wanted
something that met on a regular, predictable schedule
since I work part-time.”
Michele connected with friends and colleagues
who shared and supported her desire to create a moms’
group, including Stephanie Workman, now a member at
Reveille United Methodist Church;Whitney Robertson,
also of St.Thomas’, Richmond; Pete Nunnally, director
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Left—Right: Michele Burt, Whitney Robertson, Stephanie Workman
VIRGINIA EPISCOPALIAN / SUMMER 2016
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