ST JOHNS’ CHURCH AND VILLAGE HALL
Service for the Animals: June 2018
It was a lovely, sunny day and dogs, horses, a cat, a cockerel and a gerbil came to our church for their service which was taken by Revd Jane Dunlop.
The service began with the reading of the Banns of Marriage for Daisy Mundy and Thomas Halliday followed by a prayer for them. Revd Jane then welcomed everyone and gave the Introduction after which we sang All Creatures of our God and King. Following the Thanks and Confession, we sang Morning has Broken and then said the Pets’ Service Prayer. Innis and Delphi Jeffries gave the reading after which Revd Jane gave a talk about the love of and for many animals. She told us of her own pet dog and how much it meant to her. She spoke about trust and how our pets trust us to take them to places of safety and how we learn many things about the world as we grow up and concluded by telling us to put our trust in God to provide re-assurance.
We then sang For the Beauty of the Earth which was followed by the Prayers of Intercession and the Lord’s Prayer. During the singing of Who Put the Colours in the Rainbow and Thank You Lord for this New Day, Revd Jane went round the church blessing all the animals. She then led us outside to the horses who were grazing in the churchyard and also the sheep and horses in Manor Farmhouse’s paddock.
It was a lovely experience standing in the sunshine while they were blessed after which we all returned to the church for the Adoration and Responses and the Sending Out. The service ended with the Blessing and Dismissal after which everyone and the animals went across to the Village Hall for refreshments served by Peter and Janice Ford.
Lindy Paramor played the organ accompanied by Barney Jeffries on the violin and Orla Jeffries on the clarinet.
A big Thank You to Revd Jane, to Lindy, Barney, Orla, Innis and Delphi, to Malcolm Read and Graham Paramor – Church Wardens, to Peter and Janice and to everyone who came and brought their pets. We enjoyed the service including the animals who joined in enthusiastically throughout – and why not, after all it was their service!
Same time next year everyone?