7 Days of Creation

Trinity Sunday May 31, 2026 Genesis 1:1-2:4 7 Days of Creation Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Our gracious God has created us and called us his own. Let us worship the triune God. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has redeemed our lives. Let us worship the triune God. The Holy Spirit sustains and guides us all the days of our lives. In gratitude and joy, let us worship the triune God(Presbyterian Outlook) Opening Prayer Out of our ordinary, everyday lives, you have gathered us here, Holy God, to this time of worship, to this time of praise. We join with angels and archangels and all the company of the saints to bless you, to listen for your Word, to immerse ourselves in your grace, in your love. Open our hearts And our minds to your presence with us. Take the chaos of the world that has found its way into our hearts — speak your Word and give order and form and new creation. Take the failures and defeats, the guilt and the shame that bind our spirits — speak your Word and set us free. Take our longings for your goodness to shape our lives, this community, the hurting world — speak your Word and infuse us with your courage and your hope and your love. Then, awaken us to your Holy Spirit who is making all things new, even us. We ask in Jesus’ name, who sends us out to speak love and mercy and grace to those who are waiting, longing, hoping, for a sign that they are not alone, that you are a God of love, that you are a Saviour who knows their name, that the Holy Spirit is leading them home. Amen. Adapted from Christine Jerrett, https://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2019/06/prayer-matthew-28-16-20.html. Song Morning has Broken UMH 145? A Sermon for all Ages Here's a children's sermon you can use for Trinity Sunday: Children's Sermon: "God's Story Is Still Being Written" Object: A picture book or a blank notebook and a marker Good morning, boys and girls! I brought a book with me today. Have you ever read a really good story? Maybe it's a story about superheroes, animals, or adventures. What happens when you get to the last page? The story is finished! But today we heard a different kind of story. We heard the very first story in the Bible—the story of creation. In Genesis, God created the light, the sky, the land, the plants, the animals, and finally people. And after each part, God looked at it and said, "It is good." Can you say that with me? "It is good!" When God made the sun and moon, it was good. When God made the fish and birds, it was good. When God made people, it was very good. Now here's a question: Do you think God's story ended after the seventh day? No! God's creation story is still going on. God is still creating, still working, still bringing new life into the world. Every baby that is born, every flower that blooms, every act of kindness, every person who learns to love God a little more is part of God's continuing creation. And guess what? You are part of that story. Point to yourself and say, "I'm part of God's story!" Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we think we're not good enough. But remember what God said when God created people: "It is very good." On Trinity Sunday we celebrate God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity reminds us that God is always active and always working together in love. God the Creator made the world, Jesus came to save the world, and the Holy Spirit is still working in the world today. That means God is not finished with creation. And God is not finished with you. Every day God is helping you grow, learn, love, forgive, and serve others. God is writing new chapters in your life. So whenever you look at the sky, the trees, the animals, or even yourself in the mirror, remember this: You are part of God's creation. You are part of God's story. And God says, "You are good, and I'm not finished with you yet!" Let's pray: Dear God, thank you for creating this wonderful world. Thank you for making each one of us. Help us remember that we are part of your story and that you are still working in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen. Affirmation of faith How do you live for the love of God? I love because God first loved me. God loves me in Christ with a love that never ends. Amazed by grace, I no longer live for myself. I live for the Lord who died and rose again, triumphant over death, for my sake. Therefore, I take those around me to heart, especially those in particular need, knowing that Christ died for them no less than for me. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Passing of the Peace Prayer for illumination Loving God, open our hearts and minds to what you would say to us this day. By your Spirit, we ask that you would speak, as we, your people, are listening. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Scripture Genesis 1:1 – 2:4 Sermon 7 Days of Creation Imagine for a second, you can close your eyes if you want to. But think back to the time in the cosmos when nothing existed. Think back to a time long ago when there was no world, no stars, no animals, no people, no you. – just nothing. Now think about the fact that even when there was nothing – there was still God. God is not a something, or a being, God just is. You can come back now. The bible tells us that is how it was in the beginning. God was like a strange light that shone everywhere, but didn’t come from anywhere. God has an idea – and spoke – let there be light. All of sudden God spoke another idea and life popped up everywhere. God kept having ideas – and things kept happening. Until the 7th day and then he rested – and said that it was good. Today we start at the beginning – the creation story in Genesis 1 Every culture, every religion starts with a creation story. There are five common themes in all creations stories – of something developing out of nothing, of someone coming down to earth, of a parent who took care of all of the world, of an egg that hatched, or of a great light that appeared. The story in the bible has all of that. The oldest creation story comes from Mesopotamia – about Gilgemesh who destroyed creatures to form the world. The ancient Hebrews, who were neighbors may have heard this story – and they created a kinder version, not of destruction but of creation. You may not have realized it in reading Genesis, but there are actually two separate stories of creation in the bible. There is the story in Genesis one – where God came upon the waters and created light and everything else in six days and rested on the seventh. And there is Genesis two – where God created the garden of Eden and then Adam and Eve. We usually smoosh these two stories together, even though they are different. In ancient Israel, chapter one of Genesis would have been sung as a worship song. This is a poem that we no longer have the music to. It goes through each day of creation, and then it explains why they were gathered in the temple on the seventh day – Which is Saturday. To rest from their work and to gather in community to celebrate, and remember and to move forward. The story starts by saying that in the beginning, God started creating. Once it started, it has never stopped, the creations story continues today. It ends by saying that God’s creation is good, very good. There is a popular story about A young fish swims up to an older fish and says, "I’m trying to find this thing they call the ocean." "The ocean?" says the older fish. "That’s what you’re in right now." "This?" scoffs the young fish, disappointed. "This is just water. What I want is the ocean!" Often times in life, we as people search for God, and try to identify God, we even want to see a version of God that we can recognize. The creation story reminds of that God is a part of every aspect of our lives. And even though we may not always be able to see God, or point to God – God is still there with us. During World War I, a war that was fought in muddy trenches, a young British soldier was close to mental breakdown. The artillery bombardment ... the stench of death ... the fear, they had driven him to the point of despair. He looked at his captain and asked, "Sir, you said you believed in God. Where is God in all of this?" Just then, two stretcher-bearers climed over the top of the trench and moved out under enemy fire to pick up a wounded soldier lying in no-mans-land. And the Captain said, "Look, private, there goes God now." God is not a spectator looking on from the heavens. God is all of our efforts to bring light out of darkness; God is in every deed of compassion; God is in every act of mercy shown; God is in our hospitals where doctors and nurses minister to those who are sick; God is in every court of law trying to bring justice and righteousness; God is in every human endeavor where kindness and forgiveness are shown; God is in all the events of our time, and we need to constantly remind ourselves that there is something at work in history that is beyond us - and that the destiny of the world is in stronger hands than ours. When President Reagan and the Soviet leader, General Secretary Gorbachev, signed the peace treaty to begin destroying part of their stockpile of nuclear weapons, there was a cartoon in a religious magazine that made a profound point. The cartoon pictured the angel Gabriel, up in heaven, about to blow his horn and end life on this planet. But God, looking down on this earth said, "Hold on, Gabriel. They’re going to have another peace conference." Where is God? He is here in our midst. He is in the conference which move nations toward peace ... He is in the work of missionaries who cross the seas to serve him ... He is in your daily lives as you cross the street to help a neighbor or to be a friend to someone in need. I realize that it is not very spectacular and it won’t make the front pages of the paper, but it tells us where God is. He is here. He is among his people. He is becoming known by the way we, his followers, live our lives every day. Just in the last few months of worship, we have relived the story of Christ – we walked along with he disciples as he taught, we witnessed the crucifixion, we were there for the resurrection, He promised the Holy Spirit – and we became the Pentecost people. And today we go back to the beginning and remember that all of human history came from an idea that God spoke into the universe. Today is Trinity Sunday – the day we put the whole story together, and we remember the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. – the creator, the redeemer, the sustainer. As Protestants – the Trinity is the foundation of our faith. We are always saying in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. Having a clear understanding of the power of God in all forms, helps us to understand where we are in creation. It helps us to understand our purpose in life. And how we can continue God’s work. On a pastor’s desk was a sign, "Be patient with me, for God is not yet finished with me." It was a humorous way of telling his people that he was not yet perfect as a Christian. It is a fact that God is not finished creating his universe or his people. Contrary to popular opinion, God has not finished his creation, for scientists claim that our universe is expanding at the rate of twenty-six million miles per hour. Likewise, the creation of an individual is a process that involves a continuous creation. Indeed, God is not finished with us. He is continually trying to make us what we are meant to be. When you understand not only that you were created, but why you were created and understand that the Christ of creation wants to personally relate to you both now and forever, that is when life will really begin. God is not finished with us yet. Will he ever be finished with us? The fact is that God never gives up on us. We may fail and disappoint him. We may slip and backslide, but God does not lose patience with us. When life on earth is ended and the earth vanishes, the Bible tells us that God will make for us a new heaven and earth where our creation will continue until we become what he made us - a likeness to him. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Old Truths For New Times, by John R. Brokhoff The ways we hear the creation story affects how we live our lives, the choices that we make and how we treat other people. The story in Genesis is not so much an explanation of how creation happened, as much as it is an explanation of why it happened. If creation is good, and we are a part of creation then we are good. Good in behavior, but also good in essence, purpose and worth. Good in the eyes of God. We see his presence in the midst of his people. The evidence of God is not only visible in the steady, unfailing order of creation, but he is here among us, working out his will, and moving toward his eternal purpose in our midst. I love the story about the Sunday school teacher who was trying to teach the Ten Commandments to her young students. She thought it would be most helpful if she provided them with some concrete illustrations. “Early one Saturday morning Billy’s parents were going out,” she said to her students. “Billy’s Dad asked him to mow the lawn while they were gone. When his parents returned, however, the lawn had not been touched.” She asked the class which commandment Billy had disobeyed. Instantly the class responded, “Honor thy Father and Mother!” “Good,” said the teacher and she gave another example. “Jessica was in a store with her mother. When her mother wasn’t looking, Jessica slipped a candy bar into her pocket . . . Which commandment?” the teacher asked. Quickly the class answered: “Thou shalt not steal!” “Great,” said the teacher and she continued. “Jimmy had a bad temper and he was mean. One day he got angry with his sister and grabbed her pet kitten. He then threatened to pull its tail off.” This time the students were stumped. Finally one little fellow piped up and shouted, “What God hath joined together let no man put asunder!” Well, that is our job. That’s our place in the creation story – to hold together all of the pieces of God’s world and to get them to work together for the good of the earth. Like any creation story – there is endless symbolism and meaning in this story. There is the mandate for us to be stewards of the earth, there is the declaration of Good, there is the arrival of the light, there is the recognition of God in all areas of our lives. It is the story of how creation began – it makes us a part of a never ending story. What sentence will you add to the story of life? Anything that you do – brings us all closer to God. Light doesn’t eradicate the darkness – it just helps us to see the goodness of God more clearly. After each act of creation God declared that it was good. Very Good. May you know that you are a part of the goodness! Let us pray….. God, whose fingers sculpt sun and moon and curl the baby’s ear; Spirit, brooding over chaos before the naming of day; Saviour, sending us to earth’s ends with water and words: startle us with the grace, love, and communion of Your unity in diversity so that we may live to the praise of Your majestic name. Amen. Consultation on Common Texts, 2002 Song For the Beauty of the Earth UMH 92 Pastoral Prayer (Do Not Print) Invocation and Adoration Eternal and Almighty God—Creator of the heavens, Redeemer of the lost, and Comforter of our souls—we bow before You in awe. You are the one true God, beautifully revealed in three persons. We praise You for the mystery of Your divine community, inviting us to find our rest and belonging in Your perfect, eternal love. Reformed Worship +4 Confession Lord, forgive us for the times we take Your majesty for granted or try to reduce Your boundless nature to our own limited understanding . Forgive us for the times we fail to reflect Your divine harmony, allowing division, selfishness, and discord into our relationships. Cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of Your Spirit, and draw us back into the unity of Your grace. Faithward.org +4 Thanksgiving Gracious Father, we thank You for the gift of life and the beauty of Your creation. We thank You, Lord Jesus, for pouring out Your life to reconcile us to God. And we thank You, Holy Spirit, for dwelling within us, guiding us into all truth, and empowering us to live as a light to the world. Reformed Worship +6 Petitions for the World and Church As You are united in perfect harmony, we pray that You would unite Your Church in mind, love, and purpose. Bind us together with the cords of Your grace so that we might share Your gospel hope. We lift up our broken world to You today. Bring peace to places of conflict, healing to those who are hurting, and justice to the oppressed. Pour out Your Spirit upon all who are struggling, lonely, or in need of Your comfort. Reformed Worship +4 Benediction We bind ourselves to You today. In the strong name of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—we offer You our lives, our worship, and our praise, now and forever. erikanderica.org +3 Amen. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Matthew’s Gospel ends with a blessing from the resurrected Jesus, framed as “marching orders” for the disciples. Early Christians would have heard these instructions as a job description for every follower. If we seek to follow Jesus, and want to step into action, what shall we do? 1) go make disciples 2) baptize the new believers 3) teach them everything I commanded you 4) remember “I am with you” As we prepare for our offering, we recognize our financial gifts, joined with our gifts of time and talent, make it possible for us to: –make disciples, inviting others through _________ [Describe in ways specific to your setting: advertising? on-line presence? Billboards? License plates? Support of a food pantry? Free classes?] –welcome the newly baptized [Describe specifics: with a reception or lunch? Banners at baptism? Introductory classes to link newcomers?] –teach Jesus’ commandments [Sunday School? Bible study? Book groups?] –remember Jesus will always be with us [communion, small groups who pray together, support groups for those grieving, groups for recovering from addiction?] Know your offering makes a difference for this congregation and for many who yearn for a community with which to identify! Let us share our tithes and gifts. Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-Giving God, Thank you for all the gifts you pour into our lives. Even in the tough times, we know the gift of life comes by the power of your Spirit at work, blowing like the wind, filling us like a deep breath. Receive the gifts we’ve offered today. Help us use them to build up your Realm on earth as it is in heaven. Draw us close to you, to one another, and to those eager to hear the Good News of your love for each and all, AMEN Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Find rest in the love of God Choose rest by the grace of God Embrace rest by the power of God Trust rest because of the provision of God And know that the God of rest goes with you To love and serve God’s creation. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction I charge you to live as disciples, empowered by the triune God, this day and forever more. And may you be surrounded with the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Additional Illustrations Years ago when the model T Ford was made, an owner of a Model T was parked along a road because his car had motor trouble. The driver could not find what was broken and why the car would not run. At length, a fellow-traveler stopped and asked if he could be of any help. In a short time, the stranger had the motor running. The owner was amazed and asked, "How did you know how to fix it? Who are you?" The other man replied, "I am the man who built it. My name is Henry Ford." Likewise, God alone knows how to fix us, how to make life run again. Why? Because he made us and therefore knows us to the very number of hairs on our heads. Have a problem you cannot solve? Have a need you cannot fill? Go to God the Father who will supply all your needs. He is the ultimate answer to the meaning of our existence. Though we have been created physically in the image of God, he is not yet finished with us. In God the Son we have a second creation as a Christian. Our first creation by the Father made us human beings, but we failed to live up to what we were made to be. Since Adam and Eve, we have spoiled the original creation through rebellion and disobedience. We did not and we still do not live up to our first charter: to be good and to do good according to God’s likeness. Because of sin, it is now a fact that by nature we are sinful and unclean and in need of a second creation. We must admit that many modern folk do not agree with what we have just said. They still have the rosy idea that "man" is basically good as the Father originally created him. Kurt Vonnegut, a leading contemporary author, tells of attending the University of Chicago after World War II. He was a student in the Department of Anthropology. At that time, it was taught that nobody was bad or disgusting. Shortly before his father died, he remarked to Kurt, "You know, you never wrote a story with a villain in it." Kurt explained, "That was one of the things I learned in college after the war." Green is the color of life. That fact most assuredly pervades our thinking when we consider the "Colors of Christmas"! In our Ohio outdoors today, there is a marked lack of the color green. The leaves are gone. Most plants have died from frost and exposure. We are in the season of late autumn, early winter. This is a time of dormancy in the life of most of Ohio’s growing things. They hibernate, they go to sleep, they die. Now, of course, there is a highly technical, scientific explanation as to what actually happens. My college biology suggests that the cholorophyll dies and the caroteen takes over, becoming pre-dominant. But we’re not scientists. We simply know that in autumn and winter, the plants die and the leaves fall. That’s all we know, and probably all we need to know about such a subject. We’re just people trying to understand life ... the gift of life given to us by Christ himself. But, one of the important Colors of Christmas is green. We see that "green" and that "greenery" surrounding us at Christmas. Today, we see it here, in God’s house, the church. We find it in our green paraments: on the altar, lectern, and pulpit, in the color of my stole and in my Cross, in the ribbons of life we gave the youngsters a few moments ago. And we also see green in the holly and mistletoe of the yuletide season. Our Advent wreath is green, and our Christmas tree and decorations in the sanctuary themselves will abound with green. A good symbol of this created life we have in Christ - and of our Advent/Christmas season, too, may be found in this branch from a tree ... an evergreen. We use "evergreen" as a name for a certain type of shrub or bush or tree. "Evergreen." But evergreen is also what it is. It is ever-green. We know that this type of tree is a symbol of life, for it never loses its needles or leaves in winter. Rather, this tree remains green - ever green - all year long. It is always filled with life, continually reminding us of the life - the gift of life here and eternally - that is ours in Jesus Christ. Green is the color of life, but the color green can also have some negative connotations. When I mention the color "green" to you, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Do you think of Christmas trees, evergreens, the green leaves, plants, and grass of a summer day? Or do you think of something else that is green, something else that has replaced God in the minds of many, many people? I’m referring, of course, to the "idol" money! The love of money is referred to in the Bible as the root of all evil. Indeed, Paul told brother Timothy that very truth. And it can be true for us, too, if we let money become the "idol" of our lives, that which we worship above all else. But this green money has another side to it, too. Money can be a positive, powerful force in doing God’s will, in helping others, if we will but use it properly. It’s a fact: we cannot live in this world today without money. But we can do a lot of good with it. It’s not meant to be hoarded, but invested for God’s greater glory. We are but stewards of God’s many and varied gifts. II. God is not an absentee landlord, but he is here among us. Consider other perspectives of human development which often translate into practical consequences. God is not finished with us yet. Will he ever be finished with us? The fact is that God never gives up on us. We may fail and disappoint him. We may slip and backslide, but God does not lose patience with us. When life on earth is ended and the earth vanishes, the Bible tells us that God will make for us a new heaven and earth where our creation will continue until we become what he made us - a likeness to him. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Old Truths For New Times, by John R. Brokhoff If we view human beings solely as highly-developed animals, we can find much to back up our claim. Certainly a biological or anthropological perspective has the weight of research behind it. We humans, indeed, still share 98 percent of our genes with chimps. We are indebted to Homo erectus as our Homo sapien ancestor. Perhaps a magic twist in 0.1 percent of our genes within the past 60,000 years did create the anatomical basis for spoken complex language. Certainly as long ago as Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man, it has been pointed out that we are similar to other animals in being subject to the same laws of development from primitive forms in nature, passing on variations by inheritance from individual to individual, reproducing in greater numbers than can survive, and possessing body parts we no longer use such as a tail bone to carry a tail, an appendix to store food when we ate only plants, and wisdom teeth with which to crush bones.1 If we believe that humankind is solely a part of nature, a species of animal and nothing more, then we are likely to treat the people we encounter as highly-developed animals. Those we like we view as pets. If they love us and remain faithful to us, we cuddle them as we would any friendly and lovable dog or cat. We will bring them into our household circle of friendship and even try to curry the favor of others as we, too, seek to be friendly animals. To those who are unfriendly, we act as if they are a swarm of flies at a picnic or a beast of burden. We ask our school teachers, our police, and our courts to protect us from these pests. We organize our labor force and our economy to enable us to take advantage of these beasts of burden, paying them lower wages and creating social programs to see that they are fed, watered, and sheltered. While all this is quite unconscious, it still reflects an understanding of humankind as animal: pets, pests, and beasts of burden. That is a perspective upheld by many. God speaks through his creation. He speaks through the reading of Scripture. Sometimes he speaks through public worship. Oh, not necessarily through the sermon. Please understand. Each Sunday, I try my best to bring you some word from God. I don’t have a special pipeline, though. I am a human being. Even with my best efforts, on any one Sunday morning I may not be on your wavelength. God’s word for your life may not come from the sermon. It may come from some hymn. Or it may come from the reading for the day. Or it may happen simply in the silence when we are bowed in prayer. But the most important thing that can happen to each of us is that when we leave this place we are able to say, “God spoke to me this morning.” And, you know, if we empty ourselves and surrender ourselves completely to Him, I believe He will speak. God spoke and the world was created. God spoke and a nation was founded. God spoke and humanity was redeemed. God speaks today and we find help for the living of our lives. May God let it be so this day. Amen. OUR BIBLE BEGINS with the story of Creation. It is the first of the Bible’s many resurrection stories. Actually, the Bible begins with two creation stories - one in the first chapter and the second in the next chapter. Both stories, coming to us from those very earliest of speculation about life, grew from the belief that life was orderly, was following a plan, was fulfilling the destiny of a great mind.

The Creativity of Father

June 15, 2014 Genesis 1:1-2:4 Father’s Day First Sunday After Pentecost Year A Difference between mothers day and fathers day We just celebrated mother’s day a few weeks ago, and today we celebrate our fathers. Some have said that there is a big difference in the way we celebrate our mothers, and our fathers. On mothers day the restaurants are full, on fathers day, it is not too late to get a reservation. Mother’s get flowers, candy, thoughtful presents. Father’s get socks. Kevin Hart even mentioned this week, that on Father’s Day his son will go into his closet, wrap one of his shirts, and say Dad, I know that you will like this gift, because I saw you wear it already. Neither holiday is a sacred holiday for the church. But if you look at every major religion, honoring your mother and your father is a major tenant. We don’t choose out parents, but it is important for us to acknowledge the gifts that they have given us, and the lessons that they teach us. If they were not who they were, we would not be who we are today. We get out identity from our parents. God created fathers And I would say that the gift of fathers is no different from the gift of mothers. It is just that we honor them differently. God created them differently. On Mother’s Day I shared the story of how God created mothers. So I thought I would share the story of how fathers were created. This is a story by Erma Bombeck. . In one of her humor columns Erma Bombeck described what the scene must have looked like when God created fathers. She writes: When the good Lord was creating Fathers he started with a tall frame. And a female angel nearby said, "What kind of Father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put Fathers up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping." And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child-size, who would children have to look up to?" And when God made a Father's hands, they were large and sinewy. And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do you know what you're doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats." And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day...yet small enough to cup a child's face in his hands." And then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. And the angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do you realize you just made a Father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?" And God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle, and hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus." God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had every seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?" And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse, or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill." God worked throughout the night, giving the Father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that saw everything, but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, he added tears. Then he turned to the angel and said, "Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a Mother?" Erma Bombeck concludes, “The angel shuteth up.” While it is obvious to us that God created Adam and Eve, we don’t readily consider the fact that the differences between men and women are God made and purposely suited to the task of raising a child. This is why father’s need to be connected to God. Men, fathers, dads: Your eyes, your hands, your strength, your heart, your mind, your soul have been given you not only for your pleasure but for the pleasure and well being of your children. Fathers and creation I thought that it was important for us to look at the creation story on Father’s Day. God created the earth and all of the creatures on it. God created male and female. God even had a plan for what we should do with our lives while here in the midst of creation. We should care for all that God has given us. The bible makes it clear that God is a spirit. God is neither male nor female. And yet when we think about all that God has done for us. When we think of the role that God plays in our lives, we think of the role of the father. When Jesus speaks of his relationship with God, he calls the almighty father. I thought that it was interesting that the verb – to father, means to create, to be the foundation, to author into existence. The definition of fatherhood If, as C.S. Lewis wrote, "fatherhood must be at the core of the universe," then disrespect for a father means engaging in some very dangerous vandalism. That is true culturally, but also personally. Gordon Dalbey writes, "We had better teach our sons mercy. A man who curses his father...curses his own manhood." Being a father is an awesome responsibility. And makes an awesome difference in the life of our children. The father plays a very important role in the identity of our children. We know the familiar story of Jesus being taken to the temple in ordered to be names and circumcised eight days after he was born. What we may not have realized that it was his father’s Joseph’s responsibility to present him to the public, to claim him and to give him a name. Giving a child identity It is important for fathers to be present at the baptism of a child. Baptism in some ways is that naming ceremony, where the child is introduced to the community. The child is bought into the family of God. But most important the father promises that he will be present in the life of the child. But that he will make sure that the child had a relationship with God. The child will be raised in the ways of God. In a relationship between father and child, the child will pick up in anything that a fathers does. But when we are reminded that our relationship with our children is an extention of our relationship with God. We cant help but to do what is best for our children. Being a father means being connected to our child, our family, our God and our church. All four roles are equally important. So today we honor our fathers for all that they have done for us, all that they have taught us, and all of the places that they have led us. a father’s greatest creation is always present in the life of he child. Father’s may your footsteps lead your children to a place close to God. Amen. Children's Message for Father's Day Lectionary: : • Lectionary: Item 15 of 17 | Back to Results Object: Basket/box full of items such as hammer, frying pan, book, sales receipt pad, Bible, sewing materials, dental/medical item of equipment, small flower trowel, telephone. Be sure to have more than enough for the highest number of children anticipated and avoid sharp or overly heavy objects. Good morning, young people! Today is Father's Day. Today we are going to give God thanks for the things our fathers do for us, and the things they do to make a living. Would you all take turns and find some tool or item in the basket that you think a father/your father might use in helping your family - or you - or at work? (Supervise this experience, being sure that all have a chance to retrieve an item.) Could you explain what item you have and how fathers might use these in their work or around our homes? (Be prepared for anything! Especially help each contribution to be heard, unless a microphone is available, by repeating for those too soft-spoken to be heard.) (You have chosen some items that might not be picked to be included. Knowing your young people is essential here, for they are often very "liberated" and very "traditional.") What about this ___________? (etc.) Can anyone think of how Dad might use this? (Be prepared again for almost anything! Seek to mold the comments into a constructive understanding of the differing roles/jobs of fathers.) How do you feel about what our fathers do for us? (Pause long enough to get some good comments that might be shared.) Let's let our fathers know how we feel. All together now, let's say, "Thanks, Father! We love you!" 1-55673-106-X Back to Results | Item 15 of 17 Illustrations not used in sermon Some of you are familiar with William Raspberry, a syndicated writer with the Washington Post. In a recent column he made this analogy: Some years ago, South Africa's game managers had to figure out what to do about the elephant herd at Kruger National Park. The herd was growing well beyond the ability of the park to sustain it. And so they decided to transport some of the herd to a nearby game park. A dozen years later, however, several of the young male elephants (now teenagers) that had been transported to the game park began attacking the park ‘s herd of white rhinos, an endangered species. They used their trunks to throw sticks at the rhinos, chased them over long hours and great distances and stomped to death a tenth of the herd all for no discernible reason. Park managers decided they had no choice but to kill some of the worst juvenile offenders. They had killed five of them when someone came up with another bright idea. They brought in some of the mature male elephants still residing in the Kruger Park and hoped that the bigger, stronger males could bring the adolescents under control. To the delight of the park officials, it worked. The big bulls quickly established the natural hierarchy and reduced the violent behavior of the younger bulls. "The new discipline, it turned out, was not just a matter of size intimidation," says Raspberry. "The young bulls actually started following the Big Daddies around, yielding to their authority and learning from them proper elephant conduct. The assaults on the white rhinos ended abruptly." (3) Raspberry's point was that young males whether they are wild animals or human beings need Dads. And, it is only possible to use these gifts to their good purpose when God is allowed in. When we allow Him to define who we are who we can be for our families. Text Illustration: B. Charles Francis Adams, the 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. Text Illustration: HONORING OUR FATHERS I believe there is something in us--a law written on our hearts--that says, "Honor your father and mother." That’s how it’s stated in the Bible, but you’ll find it in all of the world’s religions. The ancient Chinese Analects advise, "surely proper behaviour to parent and elder brothers is the [tree] trunk of goodness." We must consciously attempt, first of all, to find the good in our fathers, no matter how badly they seemed to have fathered us. To put a spin on Marc Antony’s cry: "We have not come to bury our fathers under the dirt of our accusations; we’ve come to praise them for what we have discovered in them, and for what they have given us." What our fathers did right is every bit as important as what they did wrong. SOURCE: Ken Canfield, PH. D. The Heart of a Father. Chicago: Northfield Publishing, 1996. Pg. 30. His little arms crept round my neck, And then I heard him say, Four simple words I can't forget, Four words that made me pray. They turned a mirror on my soul, On secrets no one knew, They startled me, I hear them yet, He said, "I'll be like you."(5) What an awesome responsibility! Fatherhood. We present our children in baptism and promise to raise them in the knowledge and love of God, then too often we forget that as our sons and daughters grow and learn, they come to that question, "Is God like Daddy?" Are you sure you would like to hear the response to that one, Dad? If you are not certain, then this Father's Day can be the day, by the power of the Spirit of a loving Heavenly Father, to make a new start. Do you know why God commands us to honor our fathers? Well .. one reason is because of the meaning of the word "father." In the verb form .. the word "father" means "the founder .. to be the foundation .. to author." . Those of us who grew up in families in which Dad was a positive influence will quickly agree. It doesn't always work out like that, of course. There are some families in which Dad is absent, and it cannot be helped. There are other families in which Dads do more harm than good, but fortunately that's true in only a minority of families. Most Dads do the best they can. And we're proud to be able to honor them. Fathers are important. A conscientious father can do wonders in the lives of his children. Many of us have observed this in our own families. A conscientious Dad can have a wondrous impact on the lives of his offspring. Well, of course, Father’s Day is technically not a religious holiday; it is a secular day. But, it is not, for that reason, less appropriate for our consideration. We also don’t simply want to give equal billing to fathers this morning because we gave homage to mothers a month ago. We want to recognize dads for another very important reason. The message that is going out to so much of society today is that fathers are simply not needed. While the number may numerically be small there are some women who actually chose to be single parent mothers. And there are far too many men in America today who father children that they have no intention of raising. The church, therefore, needs to send out the message loud and clear that fathers play a critical role in the life of the family, that they are needed, and that God expects something of them. Fathers, you will have a powerful impact upon your family if you connect in three crucial areas. How is that father’s play such a huge role, whether they are willing or not, in the development of a child? I believe it is by design The role of a father, to connect with his family, cannot be ignored. Ten years ago statistics showed that from 1960 to 1990 the percentage of children living apart from their biological fathers more than doubled from 17% to 36%. It was estimated that by the turn of the century 50% of all American children would go to bed at night without being able to speak to their father. So, here we are. At the turn of the century. How are we doing? The good news is that it’s not as bad as they had predicted. The bad news is that 4 out of every 10 children live in a fatherless home. The tide may have been stemmed a bit but it’s nothing to gloat over. The effects of this are horrendous. Here’s what happens when dads walk out on their children. You won’t believe what you are about to hear. 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census) 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Source: Center for Disease Control) 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26, 1978.) 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools.) 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes (Source: Rainbows for all God’s Children.) 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988) 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections 1992) What an awesome responsibility! Fatherhood. We present our children in baptism and promise to raise them in the knowledge and love of God, then too often we forget that as our sons and daughters grow and learn, they come to that question, "Is God like Daddy?" Are you sure you would like to hear the response to that one, Dad? If you are not certain, then this Father's Day can be the day, by the power of the Spirit of a loving Heavenly Father, to make a new start. Amen! ____________________