Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone, leaving us with a fresh batch of commercials to analyze, laugh at, or shake our heads over. And just as we start to recover from the ad blitz, here comes another—Presidents’ Day sales. Every platform imaginable is urging us to buy, upgrade, and spend.
It’s interesting how we’ve allowed commerce to redefine what a holiday means. The Super Bowl isn’t an official holiday, yet it’s treated like one. Presidents’ Day, which retailers have turned into a shopping extravaganza, isn’t actually Presidents’ Day at all—it’s legally Washington’s Birthday. Though first observed in 1800, it wasn’t a federal holiday until 1879, and in 1971, it shifted to a Monday to create a long weekend. Congress rejected renaming it Presidents’ Day, but that didn’t stop advertisers or some states from doing so.
Commerce has a way of reshaping our priorities. Even Sunday, once widely protected by Blue Laws to encourage rest and worship, has been transformed into just one half of a weekend break from the workweek. It can be used as a shopping day, a rest day, family time, laundry day, brunch or for sports observance. It is rarely, if ever, set aside solely for worship. While convenience has won out in many ways, the question remains: What do we allow to define our time?
As you navigate this long weekend—whether you’re enjoying time off, shopping for deals, or catching up on rest—consider setting aside time for what truly matters. Sunday is still a holy day, a time for worship, renewal, and grace. We invite you to reclaim it with us.
Join us this Sunday, February 16th, at 9:30 AM for worship (a worship bulletin is attached). No sales gimmicks, no limited-time offers—just free grace, always available.
Blessings,
Pastor Marc
