God of Eve and God of Mary (StF 119)
- Authors & translators:
- Kaan, Fred
- Elements of Worship:
- Thanksgiving
- Theme:
- Times and Seasons
- Theme:
- Human Life and Relationships
- Metre:
- 87.87. (Trochaic)
- Tune:
- Sussex
- Composers & arrangers:
- Vaughan Williams, Ralph
- Country or culture:
- English traditional
- Source:
- Singing the Faith: 119 (CD5 #21)
- Verses:
- 5
- STF Number:
- 119
Further information
“God of Eve and God of Mary” has the potential to widen our appreciation and definition of parenthood.
The hymn was written specifically for Mothering Sunday by Fred Kaan when he was serving as a part-time minister for a small housing estate congregation in Swindon. A few years later, he was asked to write a companion hymn for Father’s Day (“God of Adam, God of Joseph”). In both hymns, he gives thanks for the possibilities of parenthood and for inspiration found in the loving heart of God, but one phrase occurs in both texts – it gives particular thanks “for those who have no children, / yet are parents under God”.