The celebration of Mother’s Day unofficially began in the early 1900’s. Anna Jarvis was born outside the small town of Grafton, West Virginia, in 1864, to Granville and Ann Marie Jarvis. As a child, young Anna watched her mother volunteer for a number of social causes to better their hometown. For example, Anna’s mother, Ann Marie, worked to provide nursing care to Civil War veterans and fought for better sanitation practices for her community.

When Ann Marie died on May 9, 1905, her daughter began working to acknowledge her mother’s contributions to society. In 1907, two years after her mother's passing, Anna invited her friends to her home to celebrate her mother’s life. From this small gathering, the idea of a mother's day holiday developed that would “honor mothers, living and dead.”

In the spring of 1908, Anna handed out white carnations to the women members of St. Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton who were mothers. White carnations were chosen because they were Anna’s mother’s favorite flower. St. Andrew’s was chosen because Anna’s mother had taught classes there for 20 years.

Anna continued to lobby for a national memorial day to celebrate mothers. In 1913, the members of the House of Representatives adopted a resolution for government officials to wear white carnations on Mother’s Day. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday emphasizing womens’ role in the family.

The men of the Sewickley United Methodist Church celebrate all women and their contributions to society, especially to the church and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

Our women (and their guests) are invited to the Simpson room for an evening of fellowship and dining. The cost of the meal is $12.00 for adults, $6.00 for children 2 to 12, and children under 2 are free. Come hungry—you will not be disappointed! We are looking forward to seeing you there.

More Photos from past years can be viewed in our Media Gallery.

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