Pastor's Message
June 2026
Mother's and Father's Day
As we conclude our year-long series on special days, June challenged me. Flag Day is June 14th, but I just covered Memorial Day. I could jump ahead to the 250th Anniversary of our Nation, but I started this series talking about July 4th. Perhaps I could cover the newest holiday, Juneteeth Day, which celebrates the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation a full two and a half years later. There are plenty of Biblical correlations, so I might cover that in the future.
But where I settled was a combo platter. Proverbs 23:22 says, “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Father’s Day falls on June 21st this year. And since I skipped Mother’s Day last month, I thought I would cover them both this month. Since Mother’s Day comes first and started first, we’ll cover it first.
Mother's Day
Many societies have sought to honor mothers. The ancient Greeks and Romans had special spring festivals to honor the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. In 16th Century Europe, the fourth Sunday of Lent was “Mothering Sunday.” The idea was for people to return to their “mother church” for a special service. In later centuries, domestic servants were allowed to return to their families and their mother church. In 1870, abolitionist and women suffragist Julia Ward Howe wrote a “Mother’s Day Proclamation” where she called for mothers to unite in promoting world peace, establishing an official Mother’s Day for Peace.
But our modern American Mother’s Day celebration traces its roots to 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, in Grafton, West Virginia. Her mother had been an activist for public health and Civil War reconciliation, who organized “Mother’s Work Clubs” to improve public health, sanitation and care for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. When Anna’s mom passed away in 1905, and she recalled a wish her mother had given to a Sunday School class hoping that someone would eventually initiate a memorial day for mothers. She now made it her life’s mission to fulfill her mom’s request.
It started with an official Mother’s Day church service at St. Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton. She sent 500 white carnations to the congregation in honor of their mothers. At the same time, in Philadelphia, 15,000 people gathered for a parallel service. Also, she insisted that it be “Mother’s Day” and not “Mothers’ Day.” It was not meant to celebrate all mothers (plural); it was meant to celebrate your mother (singular).
She then began an aggressive letter-writing campaign to secure a national day honoring mothers. Her letters paid of when, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
However, as Mother’s Day took off in popularity, Anna’s fears also came to life. Mother’s Day became commercialized. Flowers went up in price for that day. Greeting card companies mass-produced messages. It became less personal and more commercial. She organized protest events, filed lawsuits and even got arrested trying to protect the day’s original meaning. Let this be a challenge to us as well.
Father’s Day
There is some dispute about the origin of Father’s Day. The first “Father’s Day” service was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South. It was organized by Grace Golden Clayton and her pastor in remembrance of her father and 250 other fathers who died in a mining accident the previous December. The date was chosen because it was close to her father’s birthday. However, the impact was limited to just this town on this date.
Instead, our modern Father’s Day was primarily inspired by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, in 1909. Hearing about Anna Jarvis and attending a Mother’s Day service that year, she talked to her pastor about creating a male equivalent for fathers. After convincing the Spokane Ministerial Association, they planned for a Sunday in June the following year. Initially, they targeted June 5th (her father’s birthday) but because of conflicts, the first celebration was June 19, 1910, at the Spokane YMCA and other local churches.
Like Anna and Mother’s Day, Sonora tirelessly promoted the day but with little success. Although the first bill was introduced to Congress in 1913, and despite encouragement from President Woodrow Wilson, it did not pass. Nationally, many thought the idea too effeminate and, while mothers were often underappreciated, fathers regularly received their due.
In 1924, Calvin Cooledge recommended that the day be observed but stopped short of issuing and national proclamation. What little momentum existed was lost during the 1920’s, but in the 1930’s Sonora returned home and started promoting the celebration again.
In 1938, Sonora started working with the Father’s Day Council, an association of men’s wear retailers for commercial promotion. Many concluded that this was just an attempt by manufacturers to cash in again on the success of Mother’s Day.
It was not until 1966 that Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. In 1972, the day was made a permanent national holiday under Nixon.
Scripture
Scripture has much to say on the matter. The Fourth Commandment declares, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). God protected fathers and mothers warning, “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death” and “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death” (Exodus 21:15 & 17).
Fathers and mothers come up a lot in Proverbs. These stand out: “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching” (6:20). “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother” (10:1). Similarly, “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother” (15:20). “Whoever robs their father or mother and says, ‘It’s not wrong,’ is partner to one who destroys” (28:24). There’s one final warning, “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures” (30:17). Yikes!
As much as we are to honor our fathers and mothers, Jesus warns, “I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:35-37). Note: Jesus is not promoting hostility against our parents; rather, he warns us of the conflict faith in him will cause, and that we are to put Him first.
There are certainly more passages, but this gives you a good sense of what is written. I leave you with what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—’so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ ”
~ Pastor Ben Golisch ~
Mother's and Father's Day
As we conclude our year-long series on special days, June challenged me. Flag Day is June 14th, but I just covered Memorial Day. I could jump ahead to the 250th Anniversary of our Nation, but I started this series talking about July 4th. Perhaps I could cover the newest holiday, Juneteeth Day, which celebrates the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation a full two and a half years later. There are plenty of Biblical correlations, so I might cover that in the future.
But where I settled was a combo platter. Proverbs 23:22 says, “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Father’s Day falls on June 21st this year. And since I skipped Mother’s Day last month, I thought I would cover them both this month. Since Mother’s Day comes first and started first, we’ll cover it first.
Mother's Day
Many societies have sought to honor mothers. The ancient Greeks and Romans had special spring festivals to honor the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. In 16th Century Europe, the fourth Sunday of Lent was “Mothering Sunday.” The idea was for people to return to their “mother church” for a special service. In later centuries, domestic servants were allowed to return to their families and their mother church. In 1870, abolitionist and women suffragist Julia Ward Howe wrote a “Mother’s Day Proclamation” where she called for mothers to unite in promoting world peace, establishing an official Mother’s Day for Peace.
But our modern American Mother’s Day celebration traces its roots to 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, in Grafton, West Virginia. Her mother had been an activist for public health and Civil War reconciliation, who organized “Mother’s Work Clubs” to improve public health, sanitation and care for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. When Anna’s mom passed away in 1905, and she recalled a wish her mother had given to a Sunday School class hoping that someone would eventually initiate a memorial day for mothers. She now made it her life’s mission to fulfill her mom’s request.
It started with an official Mother’s Day church service at St. Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton. She sent 500 white carnations to the congregation in honor of their mothers. At the same time, in Philadelphia, 15,000 people gathered for a parallel service. Also, she insisted that it be “Mother’s Day” and not “Mothers’ Day.” It was not meant to celebrate all mothers (plural); it was meant to celebrate your mother (singular).
She then began an aggressive letter-writing campaign to secure a national day honoring mothers. Her letters paid of when, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
However, as Mother’s Day took off in popularity, Anna’s fears also came to life. Mother’s Day became commercialized. Flowers went up in price for that day. Greeting card companies mass-produced messages. It became less personal and more commercial. She organized protest events, filed lawsuits and even got arrested trying to protect the day’s original meaning. Let this be a challenge to us as well.
Father’s Day
There is some dispute about the origin of Father’s Day. The first “Father’s Day” service was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South. It was organized by Grace Golden Clayton and her pastor in remembrance of her father and 250 other fathers who died in a mining accident the previous December. The date was chosen because it was close to her father’s birthday. However, the impact was limited to just this town on this date.
Instead, our modern Father’s Day was primarily inspired by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, in 1909. Hearing about Anna Jarvis and attending a Mother’s Day service that year, she talked to her pastor about creating a male equivalent for fathers. After convincing the Spokane Ministerial Association, they planned for a Sunday in June the following year. Initially, they targeted June 5th (her father’s birthday) but because of conflicts, the first celebration was June 19, 1910, at the Spokane YMCA and other local churches.
Like Anna and Mother’s Day, Sonora tirelessly promoted the day but with little success. Although the first bill was introduced to Congress in 1913, and despite encouragement from President Woodrow Wilson, it did not pass. Nationally, many thought the idea too effeminate and, while mothers were often underappreciated, fathers regularly received their due.
In 1924, Calvin Cooledge recommended that the day be observed but stopped short of issuing and national proclamation. What little momentum existed was lost during the 1920’s, but in the 1930’s Sonora returned home and started promoting the celebration again.
In 1938, Sonora started working with the Father’s Day Council, an association of men’s wear retailers for commercial promotion. Many concluded that this was just an attempt by manufacturers to cash in again on the success of Mother’s Day.
It was not until 1966 that Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. In 1972, the day was made a permanent national holiday under Nixon.
Scripture
Scripture has much to say on the matter. The Fourth Commandment declares, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). God protected fathers and mothers warning, “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death” and “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death” (Exodus 21:15 & 17).
Fathers and mothers come up a lot in Proverbs. These stand out: “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching” (6:20). “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother” (10:1). Similarly, “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother” (15:20). “Whoever robs their father or mother and says, ‘It’s not wrong,’ is partner to one who destroys” (28:24). There’s one final warning, “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures” (30:17). Yikes!
As much as we are to honor our fathers and mothers, Jesus warns, “I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:35-37). Note: Jesus is not promoting hostility against our parents; rather, he warns us of the conflict faith in him will cause, and that we are to put Him first.
There are certainly more passages, but this gives you a good sense of what is written. I leave you with what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—’so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ ”
~ Pastor Ben Golisch ~