A message from the Rev’d Diana Netherway, Assistant Curate

Posted by Admin on 29 May 2015, 10:30 am

“Honour your father and mother” – This is the fifth Commandment that ends with the promise, “You will have a long life, full of blessings.” And a specific word to fathers from Ephesians Chapter 6 – “Don`t make your children angry by the way you treat them, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.”
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A little girl asked her mum, “Mummy, how did we get to be here, us humans and the world?” Her mum explained by telling her about God, how he made the world, the sun and moon, animals, and finally making Adam and Eve. Amazed by this the girl went away. Not sure how much of it was true she found her Dad and asked him the same question. “We come from monkeys!” he replied. Startled, the child returned to her mum and said, “I asked Daddy where we came from and HE said we come from MONKEYS!” “Ah well!” said her mum, “the story I told you was all about MY side of the family!”
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June is the month we celebrate Father’s Day here in the UK and this year it is 21st June. It`s the day when we celebrate and thank our dads for all they do for us. Unlike Mother`s Day or Mothering Sunday with its traditional and historic link with the church, Father’s Day came to the UK much later, with its origins set in US history. In 1909, whilst listening to a Mothering Sunday sermon, a young woman called Sonora Smart Dodd felt inspired to talk to her Pastor about creating a celebration of the same sort for fathers. Mothers were getting all the love and credit, but fathers deserved something too….Sonora’s own Father, a Civil War Veteran, had brought up his six children alone after his wife died in childbirth. So inspired by the way her father had created for them such a strong and loving environment, she decided that there should be a special day on which fathers all over the country could be celebrated, just as mothers were. Sonora`s wish was granted and eventually the third Sunday of June was chosen.
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However, there are some who believe that the tradition can be traced back to the ruins of Babylon and a boy named Elmesu who carved the first ever Father`s Day message into clay nearly 4000 years ago. Elmesu wished his father good health and a long life, and is thought to be the first recorded instance of a Father`s Day card.
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‘Father’ is an important concept for the church, as many of us know and love God as our heavenly Father. He is the Figurehead of the church, the Protector, Guide, and Comforter. But He is much more. Through His son Jesus Christ, He is our Saviour, Brother, and Friend. What`s more we are made in His Image.
So yes, Father`s Day should certainly be celebrated in a big way as we give thanks to our earthly fathers for all they are to us and all their support as well as again remembering God our Heavenly Father for all He does for us, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Diana

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