Dear Friends:
As we make preparations for this coming St. Francis Day, I find myself surrounded by animals this year. I have a new dog, Max, who we will take to our son’s Episcopal school for its first blessing. But I am also surrounded by animals that work and provide food – chickens in the school’s new chicken coop that will provide eggs for lunches, the sheep raised by new neighbors for wool, and goats on a farm up the road raised for milk.
This year, I give thanks for all these animals – those who snuggle with me and give me joy, and those that provide me with wool clothes, a feather comforter, and protein to eat. I also give thanks for animals around the world, upon whom many family farmers depend for basic sustenance and nutrition.
I also want to share with you a new liturgy written for Episcopal Relief & Development, “Blessing of the Animals,” a special edition of the Abundant Life Garden Project. This liturgy encompasses all kinds of animals, including those who fertilize our soil, swim in our rivers, and give us food. It also includes a short, child-friendly homily with photos of precious children from all over the world…and their animals.
To receive a copy of this liturgy, all you need to do is send an email with your name, church name, and your return email address to: churchengagement@er-d.org
The staff at Episcopal Relief & Development will return your email with a pdf file for your use.
Blessings to you…and your animals, Cindy
Cindy Coe 