June Pastor’s Epistle
June 21st, 2010Last month I spent some time on Mother’s Day. It’s only fair, then, that I give equal pen to the men. The annual Father’s Day celebration was inaugurated in the early twentieth century. Its intent was to complement Mother’s Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting. The first observance of Father’s Day is believed to have been held on June 19, 1910 through the efforts of Sonora Dodd, of Spokane, Washington.
Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. She wanted a celebration that honored fathers that were like her own father, William Smart. He was a Civil War veteran, who, upon his wife’s death when Sonora was 16, worked and took care of all six children by himself.
She had enlisted the help of the Spokane Ministerial association, which gave the young members of the YMCA roses to wear to– a red rose to honor a living father, and a white rose to honor a deceased one. Dodd travelled through the city in a closed carriage, carrying gifts to shut-in fathers. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father’s Day observance.
It took many years to make the holiday official. In spite of support from the YWCA, the YMCA and churches, it ran the risk of disappearing from the calendar. Where Mother’s Day was met with enthusiasm, Father’s Day was met with laughter. The holiday was gathering attention slowly, but for the wrong reasons. It was the target of much satire, parody and derision, including jokes from the local newspaper. Many people saw it as just the first step in filling the calendar with mindless promotions like “Grandparents’ Day”, “Professional Secretaries’ Day”, etc., all the way down to “National Clean Your Desk Day.”
A bill was introduced in 1913. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father’s Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but the Congress resisted, fearing that it would be commercialized. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the celebration was held, and a national committee was formed in the 1930s by trade groups in order to legitimize the holiday. Two other bills to introduce the holiday were defeated. In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing the congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus “[singling] out just one of our own parents” In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson made a proclamation for third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day, but it wasn’t made an official national holiday until President Nixon made a proclamation in 1972.
WOW! I find it disheartening to think that folks would actually belittle other folks for wanting to give men equal time and praise when it comes to parenting. Fathers may often be relegated a secondary role in children’s lives, but they are equally important. And their presence, as well as their absence, is felt in powerful and lasting ways. While Father’s Day may have been created out of a sense of equality rather than a sense of gratitude, it is important that we honor them, and their role in the formation of our lives and our Christian faith. Listen to King Solomon’s words to his son.
“When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart: keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you..Listen my son, accept what I say and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run you will not stumble….My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight. Keep them within your heart…for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Per away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:3-27
Happy Father’s Day!
Blessings,
Pastor Chris
WOW! I find it disheartening to think that folks would actually belittle other folks for wanting to give men equal time and praise when it comes to parenting. Fathers may often be relegated a secondary role in children’s lives, but they are equally important. And their presence, as well as their absence, is felt in powerful and lasting ways. While Father’s Day may have been created out of a sense of equality rather than a sense of gratitude, it is important that we honor them, and their role in the formation of our lives and our Christian faith. Listen to King Solomon’s words to his son.
“When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart: keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you..Listen my son, accept what I say and the years of your life will be many. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run you will not stumble….My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight. Keep them within your heart…for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Per away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:3-27
Happy Father’s Day!
Blessings,
Pastor Chris