Father's Day 2021
Planning a Father’s Day service that acknowledges the wide range of emotions felt on this day is tricky. It’s even more difficult to plan in a lockdown. We’ve collated a wide range of Father’s Day resources to help you plan an inclusive Father’s Day celebration.
Father’s Day celebrations are just around the corner in Fiji and New Zealand. As people of faith, we are called to be in relationship with our loving Father, God Almighty. So, Father’s Day holds special significance for many of us. But as families come in all different shapes and sizes, there will be those in your ministry who have complex feelings about fathers and find Father’s Day difficult. There will also be families separated by Covid-19, who are struggling with the distance on this special day.
You may have children in your children’s ministry who have lost their father, have never known their father, or have been seriously let down by their father. You may have children whose parents share custody and therefore may not see their father this Father’s Day. Feel free to ask parents and caregivers how best to approach Father’s Day for their child.
Planning a Father’s Day service that acknowledges the wide range of emotions felt on this day is tricky. It’s even more difficult to plan in a lockdown. We’ve collated a wide range of Father’s Day resources to help you plan an inclusive Father’s Day celebration. We have prayers and litany that can be used in online services or email, video ideas to share with your congregation, and a range of crafts and games that can be adapted to be done at home.
Links we recommend you check out:
The Messy Middle has some top tips ideas for making Father’s Day services inclusive for all:
https://www.messymiddle.com/fathers-day-ideas/
Inclusive Father’s Day prayers and litany:
https://godspacelight.com/2015/06/12/a-prayer-for-fathers-day/
http://blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2013/06/14/a-prayer-for-fathers-and-families/
A collection of videos, service resources and crafts are available from STRANDZ:
https://www.strandz.org.nz/fathers-day.html
Montessori inspired Father’s Day ides:
https://livingmontessorinow.com/montessori-inspired-fathers-day/
Traditional craft ideas:
https://sundayschoolzone.com/fathers-day-activities/
https://ministry-to-children.com/4-cool-fathers-day-craft-ideas/
Father’s Day themed games:
https://www.thespruce.com/fathers-day-games-2104442
https://kidsenjoyingjesus.com/fathers-day-fun-with-purpose/
Children’s Ministry Deals has a free bundle of Father’s Day minute to win it games:
https://www.childrens-ministry-deals.com/products/fathers-day-minute-to-win-it-games
For an account of Kali Freels’ struggle with what Father’s Day means for her check out her essay below: