Dear Friends, On Sunday 17th July at 3pm we will gather on the field at St Peter’s Church for our second Pet Thanksgiving Service. I have been involved in Pet blessing services for many years and have always found them a real opportunity to give thanks to God for our animal companions and the joy and friendship they bring to our lives. Pet services can have their moments though and for several years whilst I was at St Michael’s, East Ardsley we had Morley Exotic Animal Rescue with us. At one of the visits we ended up with a Komodo dragon joining us along with some tarantulas. I think it was one of the quietest services ever as all the dogs and cats looked on as if to say “What on earth is that walking around? We don’t normally see one of these on our daily walk or in our garden!”
Our friends Dave and Marion at St Peter’s are currently training Esme the Labrador to be a Guide Dog. It is quite a considerable undertaking but we all know what a valuable help and companion a guide dog can be to a blind or partially sighted person. The dog will help their owners remain mobile, independent, safe and secure.
It goes without saying that animals can be very therapeutic and help us in many ways in our own daily lives. I know of a man who after various sad events in his life, retreated very much to his house and lost all interest in going out and engaging with the wider world. Family and friends were very concerned about his mental health until somebody suggested getting a dog. Well, to say it transformed his life is an understatement. After several weeks his mood had changed; he now had a focus to his life and on his daily walks he made several friends with other dog walkers and enjoyed chatting away to them.
In our service we will say this prayer together which will also remind us of our great responsibility to look after God’s creation:
Generous God, whose own self-giving is reflected in the love and devotion of these animal companions; bless them with your Spirit, and make us mindful of the great responsibility we bear for all creatures dependent upon us for their welfare; help us to use our power over them for their own benefit and never selfishly for our own gain. Amen.
So dear friends, do consider joining us on Sunday 17th July at 3pm on the field for our special pet blessing service. We will also be joined by the Leeds, Wakefield and District RSPCA who will have an information stall. I look forward to seeing you there or at any other service or event we are holding over the summer months – take care, God bless and hope you have a good summer.
Rev Glenn Coggins, Vicar of the United Benefice of Stanley, Outwood and Wrenthorpe and Alverthorpe.