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“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
Proverbs 31:28
The office of Church Mother holds a sacred place in the life of the Black church.
Long before women were formally recognized with titles, there were seasoned women whose prayers strengthened the congregation, whose wisdom guided families, and whose service helped hold the church together. They taught the children, encouraged the weary, cared for the sick, supported the pastor, preserved the traditions of the church, and modeled what it meant to live with faith, dignity, discipline, and grace.
We called them “Mother” not simply because of age, but because they nurtured the entire church family. Their authority came from lives tested by hardship, anchored in prayer, and proven through years of faithful service.
Mount Moriah has been blessed by a distinguished succession of Church Mothers: Mary Able Treadway, Annie McKee, Mae Bell Bass, Mamie Simmons, Mandy Rogers, Eula M. Rodgers Bowers (1922-2010), Letha M. Porter Lawson (1923-2017), Mary A. Gilliard Lawrence (1931-2019), Linda Roberts Sparrow (1942-2024), Elnora Corbett (1934-2024), and Ethel M. Collins.
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Each of these women carried the mantle in her own generation. They represented continuity, spiritual maturity, dignity, wisdom, and steadfast devotion. Some served quietly. Some offered counsel. Some led through prayer. Some became living bridges between the church’s past and its future. Together, they helped shape the spiritual character of Mount Moriah.
All of these faithful women have gone on to their eternal reward except Mother Ethel M. Collins. At 102 years old, Mother Collins remains the epitome of a queen. Though she now resides in Alabama with her daughter and family, her witness remains deeply rooted in the history and heart of Mount Moriah.
She is the kind of woman Scripture was talking about.
She is not just honored. She is cherished.
She is not just a legacy. She is a living light.
And this house, her church and her people, will forever be grateful.
At Mount Moriah’s 136th Church Anniversary, the church formally seated Mother LuEsther Bryd as Church Mother. In doing so, the congregation did not begin a new tradition. It continued an old and sacred one. Mother Bryd now receives a mantle passed down through generations of faithful women. She joins a spiritual lineage formed by prayer, sacrifice, service, wisdom, correction, compassion, and love.
To be designated a Church Mother is more than an honor. It is the formal recognition of a role Black women have carried for generations, often without salary, title, or public praise. It affirms that spiritual wisdom is leadership. It declares that faithful service deserves remembrance. It recognizes that the church has been sustained not only from the pulpit, but also through the prayers, labor, courage, and devotion of its mothers.
Today, Mount Moriah honors Mother LuEsther Bryd as she assumes this sacred responsibility. We honor Mother Ethel M. Collins as a living witness to God’s sustaining grace. We also remember every Church Mother who came before them.
Their names remain part of our history.
Their prayers remain part of our strength.
Their service remains part of our foundation.
Their children arise and call them blessed.
Their church arises and calls them blessed.
And generations yet unborn will continue to benefit from the faith they planted.
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