If I asked you to describe a ‘good’ Father I wonder what you would say? Someone strong, or reliable, someone trustworthy and kind, someone who always thinks the best of you, someone encouraging who protects you… fill in your words here.

Now this may describe your own father, or it may not – Whatever our own experiences we have an idea of what makes a good father or what we would like one to be like.

Father’s Day as we know it here in the UK originated in the United States – and came to this country probably during WW2 when American troops were here. American, Mrs. Senora Smart-Dodd was listening to a mothering Sunday Service and wanted to honour her father who had brought her and her siblings up alone. The first father’s day was celebrated on 19th June 1910 and it is now celebrated on 3rd Sunday in June.

Dads, granddads and uncles (whoever is there for you) help form who we are, their encouragement and support means the world.

Father’s Day is an opportunity to say thank you to fathers or our father figures for the good things they have given us. To tell them what their encouragement and support has meant to us to let them know the things they do that bring us joy. Maybe acknowledging the way they have worked hard, or time they spent with us

Reflect for a moment: what particular thing would you like to say to your Father? Be specific, tell him what makes you proud of him – what you love the most about him. Or if you are a dad think what it is you want to share and help your children to grow.

In the Lord’s Prayer we address God as ‘Our Father’ – but really it should say Daddy that’s what the first word of that prayer means: Abba – a much closer and more intimate way to address God which is surprising really, Daddy expresses a relationship one of trust and love.

There are lots of images about God expressing his love and compassion for people by calling us his Children there are images of motherhood and fatherhood to express the kind of relationship that God longs for with us – one of my favourite pictures is Charlie Mackesy’s image of the embrace of the prodigal son by the father.

Knowing we are loved by our heavenly Father can give us confidence – Happy Fathers Day!

We will be celebrating Father’s Day by giving out chocolate to the men in our lives at our Sunday morning service on 16th June 10am and exploring more about why we can call God ‘Our Daddy’ in Messy Church on 16th June at 4pm – with craft, story, food and lots of fun.