Celebrating Fathers
St. John’s United Church of Christ
Greeley, Colorado
June 21, 2026
Led by Charlie Schmunk
Introduction Story - Author Unknown
Two children came home from school and started begging their mother to allow them to take ownership of the classroom pet. This wonderful creature that the children wanted so much was a hamster named Davie.
Mom kept saying no and had plenty of good reasons why the children could not bring Davie home. It finally came down to an explanation that a pet is a lot of responsibility and work. As children do, they both promised to do everything to take care of Davie. And after hours of begging and promises, Mom said, yes. But she made it very clear that if the children stopped taking proper care, that she would quickly make arrangements to find Davie a new home.
It had only been a couple of weeks when Mom had to constantly remind the children about feeding and watering and cleaning up. About two more weeks passed and Mom started making calls and found a home for Davie.
She went into the living room to tell the children about her decision. She told them that Davie had become a lot of work for just one person. That they had not been much help and that she found him a new home. She was surprised when the children did not seem bothered by her announcement.
Than her daughter said, “Is it because he eats too much? Maybe we could find a way to help him eat less.” Mom said, that it was not the eating so much as the mess and the smell. And then there was all the extra work that she had to do cleaning up. The children seemed to understand and nodded in a sort of agreement and turned back toward their TV program. Mom went and picked up Davie’s cage and assorted supplies and headed back through the living room.
The kids saw her carrying the cage and started shouting, “Mom, what are you doing with Davie?” Mom responded, “We just talked about this. Because of all the extra work and having to do it all by myself, I found Davie a new home.”
The children said, “No not Davie, we thought you said daddy!”
Congregation sharing favorite stories of Dad.
*******
Concluding Poem: “So God Made A Father” -Author Unknown
And God looked down on all He had made and said, “Now, I need a caretaker.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone to take children fishing and play catch in the backyard. It must be someone who is tough enough to run a chainsaw and wield a machete and yet, gentle enough to join his little girl and her dolls for tea.”
“I need someone to bring the car around when it’s raining, so everyone else can stay dry. Someone who will keep jumper cables in his truck, just in case he needs to help a stranger. I need someone to notice practical things, like how the tread on the tires is wearing and if the weather stripping around the front door needs replacing, for no one else will.”
“Yes, he will struggle to find his socks and keys. But I’ll help him find time for the important things, like tumbling with the kids in the den floor, or saying, ’I’m proud of you, son,’ or giving Mama a hug.”
So God made a father.
God thought, “I need someone to provide for the family. Someone who will get up early and stay up late and never complain. I need someone who’s willing to make unpopular decisions and stand by them. Someone to provide authority and discipline, as well as love.”
“I need someone who listens more than he talks. Who will stand by his family through laughter and tears, tornadoes and snowstorms, good times and bad. Someone who will love his kids and love their mother even more.”
“I need someone who is willing to carve the Thanksgiving turkey, for no one else seems to want the job.”
“I’ll make someone who’s not afraid to go into Grandma’s dark cellar, or to check on what goes bump in the night, or to remove the dead mouse from the mousetrap. Someone who will yank a child back from the path of a speeding car and who will keep a wary eye on strangers.”
“I’ll give him broad shoulders, broad enough to carry a little child around town and broad enough to pull more than his fair share.”
So God made a father.
God said, “I need someone who’s strong enough to open a tightly sealed jelly jar and someone who’s tall enough to place the angel on top of the Christmas tree. And yet, I need someone who is gracious enough to let his son fish the best fishing hole or to let his daughter win at least one hand of gin rummy.”
“Yes, I need someone who is willing to work the second-shift, or take second-best, or play second fiddle, so that his family can have it better than he did.”
“I need someone who’s willing…willing to man up and provide the love, support and strength his family will so desperately need.”
So, God made a father.