The observance of Father's Day began nearly a hundred years ago in the United States. Upon hearing a sermon about the newly-recognized (though not yet official, nationally) Mother's Day, Sonora Smart Dodd, daughter of an American Civil War veteran, advocated with the Spokane Ministerial Alliance for a Father's Day. Dodd's mother had passed away when she was only sixteen, so her father raised six children as a single parent. It would be 58 years before for Father’s Day received official national recognition.

For Father's Day this Sunday at The Garden, we'll hear stories and reflections on fathers, fathering, and fatherhood. We look forward to seeing you there!

Some fun facts about Father’s Day:

• The first known Father’s Day service was held in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1908, after a mining accident in which hundreds of men died.

• There was some resistance early on to the idea of a Father's Day holiday, primarily from men who saw it as unnecessary or overly sentimental.

• Some people observe the tradition of wearing a red rose if their father is living and a white rose if he has passed away.

• Father’s Day is now celebrated worldwide, though different countries observe it on different dates. In the U.S., it always falls on the third Sunday in June. 

• Versions of Father’s Day are celebrated differently in countries across the globe, each reflecting cultural traditions and historical influences.