Memorial Day is not a “religious” holiday. Sunday School teachers (and churches as a whole) sometimes struggle with the question of whether to acknowledge secular holidays. I have seen both ends of the spectrum. There is the teacher who will discard the lesson on the Sunday closest to February 14, and have children spend the entire time making Valentines. And then there is the teacher who ignores Halloween because it is not a religious holiday, even though the children are bursting with excitement thinking of the costumes they have chosen this year. As is often the case when dealing with extremes, there are difficulties with either approach.
The purpose of Sunday School is (hopefully) not to teach children to recite scripture verses and Bible stories. Sunday School is a place where children are encouraged to view the world through a Christian lens; to apply the teachings of Jesus to their everyday actions. We recognize that we are not Christians only on Sunday, or only while we are at church. To ignore secular holidays completely is to set up a barrier between our “church life” and the “rest of our life”. Instead, invite children to think about the connection between the holiday and how God wants us to live. Thanksgiving is a secular holiday, but it is absolutely appropriate for us to give thanks every day for the blessings in our lives. Martin Luther King, Jr. day is a secular holiday, but it is good to remember that all persons are loved by God and to celebrate those who have worked hard to remind us of that.
Memorial Day is a secular holiday. Take time today to say a prayer for those who have died serving their country and for the families who miss them. While you’re at it, say a prayer for peace in God’s world, for all God’s children.
~Sally Hoelscher