Mother’s Day at the coC

[Pitts S2C]

I always found it ironic that Mother’s Day at the coc was celebrated. In the coc’s I attended, all of the mothers would show up at church wearing a corsage. The men would mention Mother’s Day within the announcements and the preacher would even talk about it during his sermon. The celebration of Mother's Day began in the United States in the early 20th century. The modern American holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908. It is a modern cultural tradition that seems to be an approved coc event.

Even as a kid, I always wondered how they justified celebrating this holiday over others.

Also, where is the BCV authority for women to wear a corsage in church? I always knew that it was taboo to question that within the coc culture. It certainly showed exclusivity to mother’s only (I always felt sorry for the women who were not mothers---it certainly put pressure on them).

[NeverAgain]

My wife, a Methodist, once asked a whippersnapper minister why he did not mention Mother's Day on that Sunday. He scoffed that he would "never celebrate a Hallmark holiday." She replied: "Honor thy father and thy mother? Isn't that in the top 10?" To which he turned red and just stormed away.

Of course, the hypocritical double standards and irrational inconsistencies of the Church of Christ denomination are well known to all of us, fodder for our criticism and disdain. My CofC always observed Mother's Day. Actually, that's good, but we all know about a stopped clock, don't we?

[Memtiger]

Wasnt 1908 the first time the coc was recorded in the census, hmmmmmmmmm.

[freshmancollegegirl]

I always wondered that too. I'm a freshman in college right now going to a non-denominational church (why is it that churches of Christ always seem like a denomination in the way they are affiliated to one another even though they claim not to be?) but I'll have to go to my home church of Christ in the summer. It's weird how on Easter when most Christians are celebrating Christ's resurrection, it would've been almost like a swear word to say "Happy Easter" to someone that morning. Good point about mother's day--why would it be any different??

[GuitarHero]

Oh, and don't forget, Mother's Day is the perfect day to preach a sermon on WOMEN'S ROLES! We can point out how important women are by upholding the "highest thing that a woman can aspire to - motherhood."

Why waste a perfectly good opportunity to keep the patriarchy alive and well?

The funniest part I remember was when the church would have a Mother's Day fellowship...which of course was prepared by the very women it purported to celebrate.

[agricola]

I always wondered that too. I'm a freshman in college right now going to a non-denominational church (why is it that churches of Christ always seem like a denomination in the way they are affiliated to one another even though they claim not to be?) but I'll have to go to my home church of Christ in the summer. It's weird how on Easter when most Christians are celebrating Christ's resurrection, it would've been almost like a swear word to say "Happy Easter" to someone that morning. Good point about mother's day--why would it be any different??

Hi fresh -
Why not drop into the welcome thread, and introduce yourself to us all?

BTW, the coc IS a denomination. They just like to think they are somehow different from the rest of the world.

[margin overa]

Mother's Day at my home congregation was one of those holidays that was glossed over, and the eldership there made certain people knew we didn't acknowledge such unscriptural practices as spending time recognizing a holiday that had no basis in Bible teaching. Of course, there were still a few people who would wear flowers to honor the day, but God forbid anyone recognize the day from the lectern. I don't remember any sermons about womens' roles on Mother's Day, but it may have happened...it certainly happened plenty enough on other Sundays.

[ena]

I always wondered that too. I'm a freshman in college right now going to a non-denominational church (why is it that churches of Christ always seem like a denomination in the way they are affiliated to one another even though they claim not to be?)

The word "denomination" is not in the Bible. There is no authority to discuss it, so it loudly proclaimed. Alexander Campbell and his father were Presbyterian to start with. They thought the Bible should be so clearly understood by all that they thought non denominational meant that all groups should have a common understanding in an inclusive sense. Only the CoC has made it exclusive. Slicing and dicing English translation of a Greek text makes no sense when the words were put there by a translator that thought he understood the author's Greek. The Greek texts do vary so you can't be sure which one is best. This link is a fine example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brush_Run_Church

[B.H.]

My wife, a Methodist

Oh no, Oh no!!! Not a Methodist! BH's CoC granny always said "A Methodist is the hardest to teach the truth to because they think it is okay to believe anything".

[Moogy]

Oh no, Oh no!!! Not a Methodist! BH's CoC granny always said "A Methodist is the hardest to teach the truth to because they think it is okay to believe anything".

And thus, Moogy is still a Methodist...