Trinity Sunday, Morning Worship, June 15, 2025
Sermon: “3 Gifts for Presbyterian Men on Father’s Day” by Rob Sheader
Accompanying Scripture: Philippians 2:1-8
3 Gifts for Presbyterian Men on Father’s Day.
by Rob Sheader
KINDNESS SELFLESSNESS TIME
Good morning and welcome to First
Presbyterian Church on this Father’s Day. We
welcome you either here in person or at home
on-line, to this HOUSE OF GOD.
This is a house where you can come at any time,
without an invitation.
A house that will welcome you and value you no
matter who you are.
This is a house that has loving eyes that are excited
when they see you and sad when they don’t.
A house where warm hearts will embrace and
accept you.
This is a house who’s door rejects no one and
who’s table serves everyone.
Welcome to this house of God.
Welcome to our house.
Page
2
Now, the more observant one’s among you
might have noticed a “Propensity of
Presbyterian Testosterone” up here this
morning. I must admit that when Pastor Sandy
suggested this idea of spotlighting the work, the
gifts and the talents of our Presbyterian men and
asked me to deliver the sermon, I was a little
uncomfortable with the idea.
As you know I have done this before but that
was when we had no Pastor, now she is here and
listening, ON FATHERS DAY !
The bible is full of stories about Fathers and
fatherly love. Whether it’s the quiet strength
and deep faith of Joseph, or the enduring
patience of Job, as he undergoes difficult trials,
fathers play a key role in our Faith as well as our
lives.
Now not all Presbyterian Men are fathers. So,
regardless of your family situation, whether
Page
3
single, married, or a father or step-father. We
Presbyterian Men have been called by God to
share our time, talents, spirit and energies,
fulfilling our call to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
So no matter your role here at church, Whether
mowing the lawn, or fixing the plumbing, or
passing the plate or hanging the paraments, or
moving the chairs, or getting us “on-line” we
honor you today.
Whether reading scripture, leading worship,
performing an offertory or being the acolyte,
this too is honorable, and discipleship, work.
If you support the church by painting, cleaning,
building, fixing, counting, check writing, bid
soliciting, planning, scheduling or praying,
consider yourself a Presbyterian disciple.
And for those men that take the light of Christ
out into the world to demonstrate our most
cherished Mission of loving all of our neighbors
Page
4
no matter your skin color, ethnic origin, gender
identity, no matter free or incarcerated, this is
truly God’s work and we love you for it.
Thank you, Presbyterian Men.
However, for those of us who maybe are not sure
how to do God’s work, for the men here today
who think “I really don’t do much for the Church,
for the Congregation, or for God, I say this.
Your presence is enough. You are enough.
If all you do is turn up, maybe sing the hymns
and join in the prayers, that is enough.
However, if you want to take just one more small
extra step, if you are willing to step outside of
your comfort zone for Jesus, I have 3 gifts.
These are not gifts for you in recognition of the
work you do for us, but rather gifts that you can
bring to this church, to this neighborhood and
to this world.
Page
5
Gift #1.
Each week, I invite you to look to your left, to
your right, there may be someone in pain,
someone who needs a kind word, someone who
is struggling with their health or their finances.
It may well be a visitor that you have not met
and for whom a kind word may be like a warm
blanket on a cold night.
Before you leave the church, speak to that
person.
A kind word to someone you know or don’t know
can have a profoundly positive effect on either
that person, ……………or you.
You know our Presbyterian Faith is grounded in
Scotland where they call this action of taking the
time to talk to a fellow Worshipper “the angel
unaware”. They even have a blessing for it.
Page
6
First a little translation
- Their word for Church in the Church of
Scotland is “Kirk”. - Ye is you.
- To “bide a wee” is to stay a while
- To be “cauld and still” is to be cold and
unwelcoming.
Be ye our angel unaware, if after Kirk ye bide a
wee,
There’s some would like to speak te ye, if after
Kirk ye rise and flee,
We all seem cauld and still te ye, but the one
that’s in the seat with ye, is stranger here than
ye may be.
All here have got their fear and care, add ye
your soul unto their prayer, be ye our angel
unaware.
Page
7
I love this concept.
The person in need of an angel, the lonely
stranger, is unaware that the angel may be
sitting right next to them.
Also, the person engaging the stranger may be
unaware that the stranger is the angel.
In HEBREWS 13:2 we see a reference to this:
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for by doing that some have entertained angels
without knowing it.
A stranger may be someone you just don’t know,
have not met or it may be someone that does
not look like you or sound like you. It could be
someone with a different color skin or someone
that has previously expressed objectional
opinions on a specific subject. They can be a
stranger in physical appearance or in social
beliefs.
Page
8
Approaching that stranger may provide
welcome relief and support for the stranger or
for yourself.
So Presbyterian gentlemen, let’s start, on this
Father’s day by recognizing that the FIRST GIFT
we Presbyterian men can all bring to this body
of Christ, is the GIFT OF KINDNESS.
Be kind to those you don’t know as well as those
you do know.
Be kind to those who may express social or
political views that are objectionable to you.
Be kind to those who you don’t understand,
those who are different and seem strange.
Be kind to neighbors and strangers alike, maybe
you will be, or maybe that person will be, the
angel unaware.
Page
9
Gift #2.
Maybe one of the most underrated fathers in the
bible is Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ.
Joseph is an extraordinary example of
a righteous man and a loving father figure who
played a critical role in Jesus’ life.
He was a “blue collar” worker, a carpenter and
often in the background when bible stories are
told.
Joseph demonstrated unwavering faith and
responsibility when he learned that Mary was
pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Instead of
abandoning her, as would have been socially
acceptable, Joseph obeyed the angel’s
instructions to take her as his wife.
Not often spoken of after Jesus’ childhood,
his strong work ethic and commitment to his
family left a lasting legacy in Jesus’ upbringing.
Joseph’s role as a present father who protected
Page10
and nurtured Jesus in His early years highlights
the importance of father figures who act with
quiet but powerful love and devotion.
He was a selfless man, who can teach us the
value of putting others before ourselves.
That selfless approach to fatherhood prepared
him to support Jesus as he pursued his dream of
teaching God’s word.
Presbyterian Men can learn a lot from Joseph,
but mostly we can thank him for helping us
provide our children with ROOTS and WINGS.
Roots hold us firm in the family, they keep us
safe as the world changes around us, they
remind us who we are and that there is always a
place here, at home, for us.
We also teach our children about Wings, for
when they are ready to break free of those roots
and find their own way in life and be better than
they ever believed they could be, knowing that
Page11
they can always come back to the safety and
comfort of their roots.
For these teachings, we say,………….. Thanks Dad.
And that brings me to GIFT #2
All Presbyterian men are not Fathers but all
Presbyterian men can demonstrate how to put
the needs of others first.
How to put your own goals and objectives on
the back burner while you help someone else
with theirs.
In Philippians 2: verses 3-5 we hear………….
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but
in humility regard others as better than
yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own
interests, but to the interests of others. Let the
same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Gift # 2 is to demonstrate SELFLESSNESS.
Page12
Gift #3
Some of you know my Dad was a fisherman. He
was the Captain, or as we say in that industry,
the Skipper of a 120 foot trawler with 10 men in
the crew. He was typically away at sea for 2
weeks and home for 3 days. I remember when I
was on summer break from High School I went
to sea with Dad. I spent 2 weeks in rough seas,
slept in a small bunk bed and helped on deck
where I could without getting in the way. I was
sick every day and pretty much hated every
minute.
That is apart from my time on the bridge or the
wheelhouse. My Dad had created very detailed
charts or maps of the ocean floor that he shared
with me. He had drawn these charts based on
generations of information from multiple
skippers. He always said he could drag his net
along the side of a sunken shipwreck without
getting it torn.
Page13
He also kept detailed log books, some of which
I still have and in one of them is a fisherman’s
prayer that says:
The Lord is my Pilot I shall not drift.
He lights me across the dark waters.
He steers me in deep channels.
He keeps my log, and guides me by the stars of
holiness, for his names sake.
Even though I sail mid thunders and tempests
I will dread no danger, for you are with me.
Your love and care shelter me
You prepare a safe harbor before me in the homeland
of eternity.
Surely sunlight and starlight will be with me in the
voyage I take
And I will rest in the port of my God forever.
Page14
When I think back, I am forever grateful for the
work that Dad did for our family and proud of
the reputation he enjoyed in the industry. But
perhaps most of all I will cherish that time he
spent with me teaching me about his beloved
charts and logs.
I will forever remember THE TIME I spent at sea
with Dad.
Time is a precious gift, that we can give to
others. Each moment we share reflects God’s
love and enhances our relationships, reminding
us that our time is not just our own, but
something we can share generously.
When we choose to spend time helping and
uplifting those around us, we are reflecting the
heart of Christ. It’s an encouragement for us to
step away from our busy schedules and invest in
the lives of others. Our moments become a
canvas for love and compassion.
Page15
By spending time with others, we show that we
care, and that can uplift someone’s spirit more
than we realize. Each moment spent in service
enhances our connection to one another and
strengthens our church, our community and our
planet.
Which brings me to Gift #3.
Give the gift of time.
When we give our time to those around us, we
embody the true spirit of sharing.
Every moment we spend helping others is an
opportunity to live out our faith and to be His
light in a world that desperately needs it. Our
time becomes a powerful tool in serving those
who are hurting.
Page16
So, for Presbyterian men on the Father’s day, the
greatest gifts you can bring to this house of God,
are:
KINDNESS
SELFLESSNESS
TIME
Thank you, Presbyterian men for all you do to
bring your gifts and blessings to this house of
God, in which EVERYONE is welcome.
And with that, all God’s people said, ……….Amen.