Father's Day 2014: Central Women Returning the Favor

Back on Mother's Day, we wrote about how fathers in the Riverview Community stepped up at the Central Baptist Church, and treated the mothers of the neighborhood to music and dinner on their special day.

On Father's Day, the mothers in the church returned the gesture, providing the men folk a day to be remembered. 

Fathers were treated to a special program for the 11 o'clock service, followed by dinner in the church Fellowship Hall.

Church member Donna Morrisette, who is studying for the seminary, gave the main address at the morning worship service.   Her studies for the ministry are being done at Graham Bible College is Bristol.   Her talk on Father's Day focused on Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, and how men should model themselves after him. (For reference, see Ephesians 6, 10-19).

"The message is, our men need to stand in the 'Joseph' position," says Morrisette.  "In my opinion, Joseph was one of the most important fathers, because he chose to be a father to whom, he knew, was not his child.  He had the option of staying or leaving, and he chose to stay and stand in God's Will.  The Lord said 'this is My Will.. I have chosen you to raise the Son of God," and instead of leaving or shrinking away, Joseph chose to stay and follow that will."

"I feel that all of our fathers are earthly fathers of the children that God sends to be raised," she says.

Many of the fathers in the neighborhood were more than happy to join in a celebration of "their" day.  The afternoon dinner was made by, and delivered to them, by the women of the church, who, themselves were the recipients of Mother's Day gifts a month ago.

"We all need to be led by God," Morrisette told the group.  "We should understand that when God leads us somewhere, whether it's good or bad, we need to all stand in the Will of God, and let the Holy Spirit handle our troubles and our questions.  Whatever storm is brewing, or whatever good we are getting, we all, men and women, need to stand fast, and let God have His Way."

CLICK BELOW TO SEE A SLIDE SHOW OF THE CENTRAL FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATION, COURTESY OF THELMA WATTERSON:

Created with flickr slideshow.