The Story Behind Father's Day

Holiday founded at a YMCA to honor father of six motherless children

On June 17, 2007 when millions of fathers enjoy gifts and cards nationwide, most of them will be unaware that, in addition to their children, they also owe special thanks to Sonora Louise Smart the founder of Father's Day.

Eighty-nine years ago at a YMCA in Spokane, Wash., this dedicated daughter honored her father by calling for an annual Father's Day. The inspiration for Father's Day struck Sonora in 1909, while listening to a sermon celebrating Mother's Day. She thought of her father, a Civil War veteran, who had raised her and five brothers after their mother died in childbirth. Sonora shared her idea with local Protestant ministers at the Spokane YMCA who passed a resolution to observe a Father's Day.

The Spokane YMCA sponsored the first celebration on June 19, 1910. June was her father's birth month. Ms. Smart suggested honoring fathers through religious services, special meals, small gifts and wearing roses. The Father's Day idea spread rapidly, and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended a national observance.

"Being a father in 2005 comes with a much different job description than in Sonora's day," said Barbara Taylor, Associate Director for Child Care and Family Programs for the YMCA of the USA. "Fathers are earning this day of recognition more than ever before. At the YMCA we've seen fathers take a much more active role in raising their children joining family activity nights, volunteering with their kids, arranging child care and participating in one-on-one programs. Fathers deserve a pat on the back and, of course, all the support community organizations like YMCAs can give them to make their job easier and more enjoyable."

Sonora Louise Smart Dodd died at the age of 96 but her legacy lives on. A monument to Sonora's holiday stands at the Spokane YMCA where today thousands of fathers and their children enjoy a wide range of family programs.

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News Items About Fathers and Fathers Day:

The Rev. Samuel Edwards: "Taking Communion and Receiving Communion"
For a somewhat different sermon from the Rev. Samuel Edwards of the Anglican Church of the Holy Comforter in Alabama, here is a topical sermon on "Taking Communion and Receiving Communion":Taking Communion and Receiving Communion In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. This will be what is known as a ?topical sermon.? The topic with which it deals is receiving Communion and taking Communion. These are not the same thing. If, as you listen to the part which has to do with the qualifications for taking Communion, you find yourself in doubt...
The Rev. William Klock: "Finding the Light when Living in the Shadows"
Continuing with his exemplary series of sermons on the Book of Genesis, we have Finding the Light when Living in the Shadows from the Rev. William Klock of Christ Church REC in Oregon. This sermon, based on Genesis 29:31-30:43, looks at the account of Jacob's marriages to Leah and to Rachel, and his dealings with their father Laban. In many ways this sermon is a penetrating analysis of the character flaws of these people, and the results of these flaws. But Fr. Klock sums up the exposition of this passage with a message of hope:The whole point is God?s grace....
"He who wrestled with God" - Sunday Sermon 10-22
Some of you know the experience of going home after years of estrangement. I read this week of a man who flew to New England for one day to see his father, whom he had not seen or talked to for 28 years - and who now has terminal cancer. ............and asked hie father the question for which he had been seeking an answer most of his lif; "Dad, why..............................

Your Best Fathers Day Resources:

1. ìA Fatherís Dayî
ìA Fatherís Dayî Text: Genesis 21: 8-21 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time ñ Year A June 19, 2005 Sermon Focus: God does not abandon Ishmael even though he is not the child of the promise as is Isaac ...
http://www.southportpresb ...sermons/MAH050619.htm

2. …in the outer… » Meditations
... Today, as I sat in church and listened to the Fathers Day sermon at church based on this parable, I reflected on more lessons about the Father, and what that teaches about God and how we dads need ...
http://intheouter.net/category/meditations/

3. KFUO Issues, Etc.
... D. James Kennedy's Father's Day Sermon" "The Nativity of John the Baptist" Dr. Harold Tomesch Concordia University Wisconsin Issues, Etc.Wednesday, June 22 KFUO Host: Todd Wilken Hour 1 WMA Hour 1 MP3 ...
http://www.kfuo.org/ie_archive_jun05.htm

4. Holiday History: The story of Father's day
... Spokane, Washington, campaigned for a Father's Day celebration. Her interest in having an organized holiday for fathers was sparked after she heard a church sermon on the virtues of Mother's Day. The ...
http://www.txtx.essortmen ...therdayhisto_rjkl.htm

5. FathersDayWeb.com - The History of Father's Day
... 1909 by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, WA. While listening to a Mothers' Day sermon, Mrs. Dodd, who had been raised by her father after her mother's death, decided that a day should be dedicated to ...
http://www.fathersdayweb.com/display.asp?ItemID=1

6. Congregational Church of New Canaan
... R. Hilton 06/19/05 Finding Ishmaels Father - A Fathers Day Sermon Genesis 22.9-20 / Matthew 10.34-38 Dr. Allen R. Hilton 06/05/05 Go and Learn What this Means Hosea 6:4-6 / Matthew 9:13 The Reverend ...
http://www.godsacre.org/sermons.htm

7. Father's Day? ... Bah Humbug! (Purposeful Singleness)
... But for a child-less man whose image of my own father is criticism and distance, this Sunday morning's sermon wasn't exactly making my day. Your Dad as the rock, mentor and best friend? Fine for you ...
http://www.singleness.net/fathersday.shtml

8. A VIEW FROM THE RELIGIOUS LEFT
... WHAT MEN HAVE TAUGHT ME - a sermon in four acts A Father's Day sermon that considers the great gifts I have received from men - four qualities of manhood worthy of praise and uniquely offered man to ...
http://www.uuccpf.org/sermons.htm

9.
... set aside a special day to honour fathers in 1909, after listening to a sermon on Mother's Day. She wanted to honour her father, William Jackson Smart. Smart's wife had died in 1898, and he had ...
http://www.infoarticle.co ...s-days/Father-Day.asp

10. History of Father's Day
... She thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, who was a Civil War veteran, was ...
http://www.twilightbridge ...s/father/history.html

11. Mother's Day - mother and father day gift
... Gift Wrapping Windchime Gifts, Mother's Day, Father' s Day, Birthday, Gift Wrapped Gifts ... ... Day Post Card Mother Day Present Mother Day Sermon Mother Day Skits And Play Mother Day Theme ...
http://www.mothersdayrc.c ...therandfatherdaygift/

12. Visit our online store -- www.fishboy.com: Father's Day Tips
http://www.getfishy.com/2 ...fathers-day-tips.html

13. Father's Day at The-Gift-Wizard.com
... s Day in the early 1900's when a woman named Sonora Dodd was listening to a Mother's Day sermon. Her father, William Smart, had been widowed when Sonora's mother died giving birth to their sixth ...
http://www.the-gift-wizard.com/fathers-day.html

14. History Of father's Day
http://www.theholidayspot ...athersday/history.htm

15. Larry G. Poss Father Day
... Sonora honored and revered her father, and while listening to a Mother's Day sermon, in 1909, she determined there should also be a day to honor fathers. Sonora gained local support and made her ...
http://www.larryposs.com/index_fatherday.htm

16. Father Day Gift
... 2004 australia day father to day father g mother father day 2005 to father day clip art father day sermon to father day movie father day new zealand to father day pictures When you're looking for ...
http://fatherdaygift.info/index.php

17. eclecticism: Happy Father's Day, Dad!
... start in Washington state in 1910. After hearing a sermon honoring Mother's Day, Sonora Dodd of Spokane decided to create one for men. Her father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran and ...
http://www.michaelhanscom .../happy_fathers_d.html

18. Happy Father's Day!--±±Õ¯-English
http://english.enorth.com ...06/21/000805893.shtml

19. Father's Day History
Fireworks University : Holidays : Father's Day History The History of Father's Day Ironically it was the inspiration of a Motherís Day sermon that eventually led to the creation of Fatherís Day. In ...
http://www.fireworks.com/holidays/fathers-day.asp

20.
http://www.internationalwoman.net/fathersday.htm

21. Community Building :: Metropolitan Library System
... catid=64&mid=448 Senator Obama's advice to eighth graders: get to the library In a Father's Day sermon Sunday at a South Side church, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) (and keynote speaker at this year ...
http://www.mls.lib.il.us/cats.cfm?catid=64

22. Best sermon father day Site Resources
sermon father day Best sermon father day Site Internet Resource Directory Sponsored sermon father day Links A Note from our Editor: Hello, Welcome to our sermon father day resource page. We have ...
http://speedy-find.info/f ...sermon-father-day.php

23. Father's Day Thoughts from Families OnLine Magazine
... While listening to a sermon at church on Motherís Day, she thought about all her father had done for her and her siblings and decided fathers should have a day, too. Because Doddís father was born in ...
http://www.familiesonline ...e.com/fathersday.html

24. Barry Lank's Teeny Tiny Brain
... Wash., Sonora Smart Dodd, heard a Mother's Day sermon and decided her father deserved a similar honor. William Jackson Smart raised Dodd and her five siblings by himself after her mother died during ...
http://www.courierpostonl ...arrylank/6_15_03.html

25. FATHER DIVINE'S Thanksgiving Day Sermon
... FATHER DIVINE'S Thanksgiving Day Sermon Our FATHER'S Sermon given at the Holy Communion Table of the Circle Mission Church, Home and Training School 764-772 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA Thursday ...
http://www.libertynet.org ...olidays/51112218.html

26. sydneyanglicans.net - A Son's Love for His Father - Father's Day Message
... back to mp3 library A Sons Love for His Father - Fathers Day Message - Dean Phillip Jensen Posted on 18/10/2005 Filed in: sermon/bible talk, 2005, Matthew This series, by Dean Phillip ...
http://www.sydneyanglican ..._fathers_day_message/

27. sermons
... gives us the power to go through our suffering with joy and hope.) ï¨ Temptation (Jesus' own temp-tation gives us the power to overcome temptation.) ï¨ Mother's Day Sermon ï¨ Father's Day Sermon
http://users.churchserve. .../gracelcms/page3.html

28. Our Journey to Rebecca Catherine Jiayi! » My First Father’s Day!
... I had the privilege of preaching the Fathers Day message today at church. I felt so like someone ... ... in the word Father stood for a different quality that I preached about in my sermon. Anyway, as I ...
http://www.glorychurch.co ...sadopt/index.php?p=38

29. http://www.inframince.com/cgi-bin/new_results.shtml?keyword=father day sermo...
http://www.inframince.com ...y sermon illustration

30. All About Sermons - Father's Day Sermons
... May we reflect the eternal Father's nature and pass that image ... God has entrusted to our care. Sermon by Dr. Harold L. White Amen ... Christmas Sermons Fathers Day Sermons Children Sermons Books ...
http://www.sermonsinarush ...thersday-sermons.html

31. Holiday Homepages - Father's Day
... Happy Father's Day Kid's Domain Father's Day Father's Day stories from the heart A Father's Day Present Sermon on Father's Day Father's Day Fathering Magazine Shawn's Father's Day Page Virtual ...
http://holidays.bfn.org/father/

32. Hot chocolate gift basket
... Mrs. Dodd thought about the Father's Day sermon at a picnic, buy him a flower for your dad on fatherís day, have a traditional way of June as the red rose to encourage the hot chocolate gift basket ...
http://gifts.giftbasket-p ...late_gift_basket.html

33. Equine veterinarian gift baskets
... Fatherís Day sermon xmas food gift basket at a church near her five siblings alone. While listening to show our equine equine gift veterinarian gift baskets a press release gift baskets veterinarian ...
http://gift-baskets.giftb ...ian_gift_baskets.html