I do not believe it is obligatory to celebrate cultural holidays in worship, but I am also not opposed to the practice. We have to meet our people where they are. If they are thinking about their dads on June 19, why not offer that to God in our worship? This year, I am also thinking about the 50 fathers who are grieving their sons and daughters killed at Pulse. If I stop long enough, I think about all the fathers who have lost children to gun violence this year. If I stop too long, I may get stuck in the long list of sons and daughters whose lives were cut short for too many reasons. And so we pray.
I wrote this litany as a call and response to some of the stanzas of God of our Fathers. You are welcome to reprint it or adapt it for your setting, provided you do not sell it and you acknowledge me as the author.
God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
leads forth in beauty all the starry band:
We give thanks for fathers and father figures
who reflect your strength and your humility,
your wisdom and your delight, your guidance and your love.
Bless them, Loving Father.
Be thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay,
thy Word our law, thy paths our chosen way.
We come to you for forgiveness when we have failed to father well
and for grace when our fathers have failed us.
Bless us, Merciful Father.
From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
be thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
We weep with fathers who could not protect their children
from hunger, violence, illness, addiction, or death.
Bless them, Strong Father.
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.
We remember fathers and father figures who taught us the meaning of faith
and now rest eternally with you.
Bless them and comfort us, Everlasting Father.
Refresh thy people on their toilsome way.
Lead us from night to never-ending day.
We long for the day when all your children will live in harmony,
free from every hatred, evil, violence, and tyranny,
free to love, serve, heal, and build.
Bless us all, in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.