With Memorial Day fast approaching, churches everywhere are getting ready to prepare for this very special holiday. We know it can be a challenge to make plans for such an event in a way that is special, respectful, and perhaps even original.
As your church administration begins to plan for the Memorial Day church service, ASM has some great resources to share with you—some that may also help you think “outside the box” this Memorial Day.
A Roundup of Memorial Day Bulletin Inserts
Bulletin inserts are always a great way to get the congregation’s attention at the beginning of the service and the sky’s the limit. Here are some options:
Bulletin Inserts From Armed Services Ministry: There’s a good chance that the members of the military community in your church may experiencing a bit of melancholy remembering people who died over the years. We have created programs designed specially to encourage and strengthen service members, veterans and their families. The God Understands program offers God’s hope, wisdom, and peace for warriors in need. We’ve created bulletin inserts that you can download and use that honor Memorial Day and feature our program God Understands. Choose your copy here. Learn more about making this an other resources available below.
Local Event Roundups: You may also want to consider offering information about local or regional options for celebrating Memorial Day. This could include a local parade calendar, lists of volunteer gatherings to place American flags at gravesites, or a map of local memorial sites to visit.
A “Why We Celebrate Memorial Day” Insert: This is a classic, but a short print-out written by someone in the church (bonus points for having a veteran write it!) is a meaningful way to subtly remind everyone what the day is all about.
Grab-and-Go Social Media Resources
For churches that use social media (or are considering using it), creating and sharing posts about Memorial Day for your congregants and your community would be a great way to get the word out!
You can use social media to make an announcement about your Memorial Day service, thank both Veterans still with us and those who have passed, and let the community know about events happening that are centered around the holiday.
ASM has resources available for social media posts as well! You can check them out here.
Scripture Passages and Resources for Bible Study
If you’re looking for a little inspiration that could help you create a Bible study on the subject, here are a few scripture passages that could get you started:
- “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (ESV)
- “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the affiliated and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4 (ESV)
- “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:3 (ESV)
- “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
Additionally, if you specifically need Bible study resources, our God Understands series provides eight topical videos based on the lives of Service members and Veterans. The topics at hand parallel a lot of the emotional challenges that are often faced by our Military and are pertinent to the feelings we share on Memorial Day.
Free Resources We Can Provide for Your Church
Although we come together on Memorial Day to honor those who have fallen, it is also important that we take care of their families and the Service members and Veterans in our church. We have many valuable resources to provide that you can give to these special church members for FREE. Here are some valuable links to get you started:
The Military Bible Challenge: A free Bible study program for Military personnel. They are challenged to read the Bible for 20 minutes a day for 75 days. The challenge is split up into five sections that dive into specific areas of the Bible. Learn more about the Military Bible Challenge here.
God Understands: This series reveals the hope, wisdom, and peace that God gives while offering empathy and connection through the stories of other Service members and Veterans with relatable experiences. Here are ways you can make this resource available to your congregation.
- Learn More: Check out these eight topical studies by visiting the God Understands program page.
- Order Print Copies: Make copies of God Understands available to your congregation on Memorial Day by ordering this FREE resource on our website!
- YouVersion Studies: Each study is also available in the YouVersion app, including topics like, Fighting for Hope, Making Peace with Death, Extinguishing Anger, Defeating Despair, Making Sense of Suffering, Escaping Guilt, Surviving Grief, and Doubt.
The Warfighter’s Study Bible: The Warfighter’s Study Bible is a tool to help you build habits that strengthen and renew you in God’s Word. With Military specific resources, daily reading, and specialized articles, this Bible helps you fan the flame by consistently engaging with Scripture on a daily basis. Read more about the Warfighter’s Study Bible here.
Lastly, did you know you can ask questions and place an order over the phone!? Go to armedservicesministry.org/contact where you can find contact information for Rev. Koo and Rev. McCullough and you can keep in touch with them by phone or email!
Final Thoughts
With such an extensive list of unique ways to remember this Memorial Day, there is bound to be a form of celebration that touches each heart in the congregation in a special way. The Armed Services Ministry is here to provide you with no-cost resources that can remind us all why we celebrate Memorial Day.
Enjoy the resources, and don’t forget to connect with us on social media and tell us about your experience!
