Animal Ministry is Celebrating Our Animal Friends!
How lovely it is to enjoy, celebrate and honor our animal friends! Doesn't it just warm your heart when a cat sits purring in your lap or a dog looks longingly into your eyes? The silly things that our animals do can bring a smile to our faces. The stories, the laughter and the tears. We embrace them all. A space has been created for you to share your stories about your animal friends and companions. This may a story that is a celebration of a new fur family member. It might be a story that honors a beloved that has made his or her transition and still holds a special place in your heart. It might be the joy of watching the birds and other animals in nature that live near your home. You can share your stories at the Animal Ministry On Line Community. What story is waiting to be told?
Other ways to celebrate and honor your animal friends include:
The Animal Remembrance Service which is held on Friday, October 5 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the Grinton Chapel. This sweet memorial service offers you an opportunity to honor that amazing relationship of unconditional love that you shared with an animal friend. This service is open to all ages. Participants are welcome to bring a memory item (photo, collar, favorite toy, urn, etc). Names of our animal friends will be read and a slide show of photographs will be displayed during the service - see the animal ministry page for instruction to submit a digital photograph.
The Annual Animal Blessing which is held on Saturday, October 6 from 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon. This event is held outside at the parking lot area near the creek. Practitioners are on hand to meet with you and your family to pray and to celebrate the unconditional love that is experienced with animal companions. Well mannered animals are welcome to attend. Those animals that are more challenging to travel with, you are invited to bring along a photo to represent your animal friend.
You can support the animal ministry at its annual raffle - winners are drawn at the blessing and do not need to be present to win. Raffle tickets are on sale after Sunday morning services at the animal ministry table.
See the animal ministry page for more details and see a list of all the amazing prizes that have been donated by local businesses and community members.
