How to look after all creatures great and small

The righteous look after the needs of their animals. (Proverbs 2.10)

ONE of the fun of moving to a latest parish is discovering how church services are conducted: what’s “normal” for one village is likely to be viewed as incredibly peculiar for an additional. Added to that is the assumption of each church community that their way of conducting a service is the right (and possibly the one) one. The newly arrived vicar must tread fastidiously through the minefield of established customs and traditions, bringing an open mind to the annual round of services and events — an attitude that might be incredibly rewarding.

Although a veteran of rural ministry, I used to be surprised and delighted by the “End of Lambing Service” at Old Radnor, which takes place every May, and is full of hymns and readings about shepherding. Pride of place this yr went to Sophia the lamb, who remained awesomely silent, provided she could see her owner, bleating pathetically each time he moved out of sight. At the top of the service, I duly blessed Sophia, who representing the complete ovine population for us, but I shunned using a rosemary aspergillum on the grounds of sensitivity and good taste.

Members of the congregation got beautifully knitted lambs, crafted by a generous team from one other village, as a reminder of Jesus the Good Shepherd; and a wonderful tea wrapped up the event. I breathed a hearty sigh of relief, because the presence of animals in church buildings might be problematic, and such events don’t at all times end easily.

THE pet service specifically, although undoubtedly an impressive missionary event, can bring some significant challenges. The minister generously opens the doors of the church constructing wide to just accept all types of creatures: I even have myself helped to reverse a pony down a narrow aisle into the west-end vestry until only his head poked out, in order that that there may very well be room for everybody else.

Snakes and Komodo dragons arrive, alongside dogs, cats, guinea-pigs, and even, memorably, a dead mole fastidiously placed in a small shoebox. (My husband counts that as considered one of my ministry failures, since I used to be unable to fulfil expectations and produce it back to life.) Dog fights, escaped rabbits, and disastrously leaking bags of fish — none of those have dimmed my enjoyment of the wonderful chaos of individuals giving thanks for the creatures that bring them comfort and happiness, and for whom they care with great devotion.

HARVEST FESTIVALS, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, and Animal Welfare Sunday, in addition to the Season of Creation — many occasions within the church yr offer opportunities for people to worship alongside the animals that share their day by day lives, and each the Church of England and Methodist web sites (amongst many others) offer full liturgies for such events.

One Oxfordshire village welcomed baby goats each Christmas time, whose high-pitched bleating accompanied the normal carols and readings. Indeed, live props provide great entertainment and mind-stretching adaptations of the Christmas story, delivered to a congregation often unused to a church setting.

I even have told the story of the Christmas Giant Snail, the Christmas Rabbit, and even the Christmas Chicken; I even have seen press releases of individuals riding camels to advertise Epiphany; and there may be, after all, the well-known donkey opportunity on Palm Sunday, with much entertainment available as a finite variety of donkeys are fiercely competed for by a bigger variety of churches.

Nor does the presence of animals in church should be limited to specific occasions: dogs, specifically, have develop into a well-known sight at many services. “Dog-friendly” churches advertise their welcome with notices offering dog bowls, biscuits, and general animal-friendly hospitality. This, in turn, could make for a more relaxed event, not just for the pets’ owners, but in addition for others who see a welcome prolonged beyond the same old boundaries.

There are health and issues of safety, after all: nobody desires to be frightened by an undisciplined animal, and people who dislike dogs ought to be made to feel protected in order that they, too, can worship in the way in which that suits them best. Dog-friendly “zones” are one answer, in addition to polite insistence on leads in any respect times.

I AM aware that I even have not touched on those creatures who arrive unaccompanied, or without invitation. These include bats, squirrels, wasps, bees, mice, moths, birds, butterflies, ants, and others too quite a few to say. These visitors fall right into a category all of their very own.

Yet, throughout the Bible, we’re reminded of God’s generosity in his creation, and of the wonderful abundance and number of life on this planet. We learn lessons from the natural world on inhabiting the moment, cultivating a mindset of gratitude for the variability of the living world, and spending time within the presence of creation.

We are exhorted to take seriously our responsibilities for the care and stewardship of this planet, and to be sensitive about our interactions with its wildlife, aware of our co-dependence on animals for our survival. It is definitely an excellent and wonderful thing to have fun the presence of all types of animals in our lives, and to provide thanks for the service, companionship, and support they carry to so a lot of us — even when we do find yourself scraping horse poo off the vestry carpet.

The Revd Dr Sally Welch is Vicar of the Kington Group of parishes within the diocese of Hereford.