Nearly 100-year-old New Haven Court resident Harry Kidd gives out candy to Connor McGee and the rest of his honorary grandchildren at the Nixon Preschool during a grandparents celebration on April 17, 2015.

With National Grandparents Day celebrated this Sunday, the American Pastors Network is reminding grandparents that the Bible speaks directly to them regarding how to instill biblical precepts to the next generations.

APN President Sam Rohrer, the grandfather to 14 grandchildren and the father of six, says he and his wife of 42 years have strived to be godly influences in their grandchildren's lives.

“Psalm 145:4 tells us that 'One generation shall commend your works to another,'” Rohrer said. “This is a clear charge to parents and grandparents to instill the Word of God, his promises, his creation, his good works and the saving grace through his Son, Jesus Christ, to the generations that come after us.

“If we see that more millennials are becoming 'nones' and not embracing any faith at all, that means those millennial parents are not raising their children in the church or with a faith in Jesus Christ,” he said.

“This is alarming for future generations, which also brings to light the need for grandparents to play an integral role in their grandchildren's faith walk,” said Rohrer.

Tradition is something that is taken very seriously at Old Union Presbyterian Church, 200 Union Church Road, Mars, said its pastor, the Rev. Peter C. de Vries.

“Heritage is something we take very seriously,” de Vries said. “The church has a pretty long history. It was founded in 1806, and the first permanent white settler is buried in our cemetery. That's why we have 'Old” in our name.”

“We are very much aware we are passing down traditions to another generation.

“But to just say 'this is how it was in your grandfather's time' that makes it irrelevant. What we have to do is see what life is like for the current generation,” he said.

De Vries said in the past the church had used a church buddy system where an adult was paired with an unrelated child.

Grandparents will be taking a backseat to the Virgin Mary at Catholic churches this Sunday, said the Rev. Radko Blichar, pastor of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, 105 Kohler Ave., Lyndora.

“The eighth of September is a huge feast day, the Birth of the Virgin Mary,” said Blichar. “All Catholic churches will be celebrating that.”

“Next Sunday, Sept. 15, we will have special commemoration for our elders,” said Blichar. “We will invite all the elders in and have special gifts for them.”

Portersville Christian School, 343 E. Portersville Road, Portersville, sets a day aside for grandparents, said Head Administrator, Jaime Kobialka.

“Each year Portersville Christian School invites grandparents to the school for a program. Typically we provide a breakfast, put on a performance, and invite grandparents to come to elementary classrooms to meet the teachers and classmates of their grandchildren.

“Many times we have a photographer on site who will take family portraits for those wanting to purchase them,” said Kobialka.

“At Portersville we feel that education is a partnership with families. Many times grandparents play a large role in the lives of their grandchildren. We want to provide a way for grandparents to feel connected to what their grandchildren are learning and doing at school, said Kobialka.

Kobialka said, “We have many grandparents who volunteer in the lunch room, come to school events, and participate in school programs. We feel that grandparents can instill values in their grand kids, help form their character, and provide knowledge and insights in ways that others cannot.”

Rohrer also pointed to recent research by Barna that found that a majority of Christians had their faith heritage passed down by a family member — and usually long before adulthood, by the age of 12.

“This study is another indicator of the importance of grandparents who are strong in their faith have in talking to their grandchildren about why it is crucial to keep Christ at the center of their life and to look to the Bible for guidance in every area of life,” Rohrer added.

National Grandparents Day was championed in the 1970s by Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, who had 43 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

McQuade envisioned the holiday as a family affair, with generations coming together.

While working to recognize the holiday on a local level, McQuade was elected vice-chair of the West Virginia Committee on Aging and appointed as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1971.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed Grandparents Day would occur the Sunday after Labor Day each year.

According to LegacyProject.com, “On a societal level, National Grandparents Day gives us a chance to publicly affirm the identity and importance of grandparents, that they do play a vital role in families.”