The month of June is on the horizon, and that means one thing: The NBA Finals are almost here!
Okay, okay… maybe the month of June means two major things are on the horizon.
We’re talking about celebrating dads!
Yes, that’s right! June 19th is Father’s Day! (Which is also the last day of the NBA finals…how perfect!)
And honestly, it’s one of my favorite holidays of the year. Why? A couple of reasons. One, because most of us know that there are a lot of dads who are NOT in the game with their kids. So let’s reward the men who are! And two, because being a dad is one of my all-time favorite things. These two amazing little dudes make being a dad pretty awesome, and they are my reasons for celebrating Father’s Day big this year!
With so many families like mine sitting in your seats on the Sunday of Father’s Day, it’s a great opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge all the fellas in your crowd at different phases and stages of fatherhood.
So our team at Clover put together this little guide to help you navigate Father’s Day Sunday, both at your church and online. Read on for more!
Who To Acknowledge
Just like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can be a layered holiday to celebrate.
While there are so many amazing dads in your congregation, there are also people who are…
- Struggling with the desire to become a father
- Stepping in to fill the role of a father in the lives of other people’s children
- Dealing with the loss of a father in their lives either through death, absence, or a strained relationship.
It’s so important to let every single one of those people know that they are seen, loved, and valued at your church this Father’s Day. So be sure to acknowledge them! To recap, this includes…
- The Ones Who Are Fathers- Those men who are staying in the game with children of their own.
- The Ones Who Stepped Up- Those men who have stepped in to take care of—and play a fatherly role—for the children who aren’t their own (stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, older brothers, foster dads, etc.).
- The Ones Who Are Grieving- Those people in your congregation who are grieving the loss of a father, navigating a strained relationship with their father, or navigating a life lived with an absentee father.
- Those Ones Who Want To Be Fathers- There are men who long to be fathers of their own. But for some reason, it hasn’t become a reality in their lives yet.
Ways To Celebrate
There are tons of ways to celebrate dads in your congregation on Father’s Day. You know that! But just in case you need a little extra help, here are a few ways to get things started at your church this year.
- Engage in Prayer. This is a great opportunity to lift up every single group of people on Father’s Day. By using your prayer time to acknowledge and pray for every category of people right where they are this Father’s Day, you’ll not only encourage them, but you’ll also let them know your church sees and loves them right where they are.
- Get the kids involved. Getting the kids involved in celebrating their dads at church is a great way to make Father’s Day fun this year. Have kids dress like their dads for church that morning for a fun photo opportunity. Create a special hand-made gift in children’s church. Or have them fill out a questionnaire about their dads leading up to Father’s Day, and share some of the best answers on stage. Because let’s be honest, is there anything funnier than a kid saying something crazy about their dad? I don’t think so!
- Give a gift. This one may require some extra prep work, but it’s definitely a great way to make people feel seen this Father’s Day. If you can make it happen, offer the dads in your congregation a free gift. It could be as small as free coffee and a donut to start their Sunday. Or a little bigger, like a Starbucks gift card or a free devotional book. This is also a great opportunity to acknowledge other men in your congregation. Whatever free gift you offer, extend it to all men. This will allow you to include men who are struggling to become fathers (a group that is so often overlooked), as well as anyone who is serving as a “step up” dad!
- Create a hashtag. Take your Father’s Day online by creating a hashtag to celebrate in the digital space. It could be something like #FathersDayCrossChurch or #FBCMiltonDads. Ask church members to use the hashtag during the week leading up to Father’s Day to post photos and videos of their dads on social media. Then, create a slideshow of some of the best posts to scroll through as people walk in on Father’s Day Sunday. It’s also a fun way to promote your Father’s Day services and have even more dads and families attend.
- A Father to the fatherless. Use your Sunday morning message this Father’s Day to remind your congregation that no matter where they are in the journey of fatherhood, or what feelings they have about their own fathers, they have access to a God who is Father to all. This is a great opportunity to not only share this message with people who may have never heard it but also to encourage people in your congregation who are struggling without a father in their lives. Let them know that God is there to meet their “Father” need.
- Host Special Events. Host a few special events this Father’s Day month to make the celebration fun. Maybe throw a cookout for families after church on Father’s Day. Or host a breakfast for dads and their kids one Saturday morning at your church.
If you’re launching any special programs for fathers (like Bible studies, men’s accountability groups, or an upcoming men’s retreat), take time on Father’s Day to promote it!
Where to Advertise
- On social media Most people in your church are using some type of social media. So make sure you promote Father’s Day at your church in places like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Beyond the hashtag you create, put together a simple graphic that advertises your Father’s Day service. Share it on social media. Not only that, ask people to share it! It’s a great way to get new faces in the door!
- In an email blast Shoot out a quick email blast to your congregation to let them know that you hope to see them on Father’s Day. Include your graphic and any special things that may be happening that Sunday (like the stuff we’ve already mentioned). This will not only keep it fresh in people’s minds, but it’s also a simple thing they can forward to people they know (ask them to share it!). Plus, Clover People makes it easy to send mass communications to your congregation.
- On your website We know that so many people visit a website before they ever set foot into a church building. So be sure to share what’s happening this Father’s Day at your church on your website. This could mean uploading your Father’s Day graphic to your homepage, adding any special events to the calendar, or even creating a special page just for Father’s Day to share info about what’s happening at your church that day (or month). As always, Clover can help make this easy!
These are just a few ideas to get your church started in celebrating all the awesome men in your congregation this Father’s Day! We can’t wait to hear what you do! Let us know if we can help in any way!