First Parish Unitarian UniversalistBlessing of the Animals
Reverend Diane Teichert
First Parish Unitarian Universalist - Canton
November 21, 2004
Ringing of Bell
Music to gather by
Welcome & Announcements
Announcement about this Service Larry
Greetings
Silent Preparation for Worship
Choral Prelude Simple Gifts Aaron Copeland
Opening Words
Welcome all ye of two feet and four and six (are there any pet spiders or hermit crabs here this morning?—would the owner please rise?)
Welcome all ye of smooth skin and fur, of feathers and scales
(are there any fish here this morning?—would the owner please rise?)
Welcome all ye who talk in words, bark, meow and chirp
(are there any birds here this morning?—would the owner please rise?)
Welcome all ye who were born in a gush of water from your mother’s womb
And ye who cracked out of an egg shell, emerged from a chrysalis, and started as a tadpole (are there any frogs here this morning?—would the owner please rise?)
Ours is a Welcoming Congregation,
but did we ever imagine we’d be this welcoming???
Welcome to all!
Invitation
In this Animal Blessing service, we thank and bless all animals of the earth, not just pets. If you brought a picture or figurine of a favorite wild animal, I invite you to please bring it forward to place on this altar of objects, most of which were provided by long-time member Elaine Lowry who is not able to be with us here this morning.
Hymn #163 For the Earth Forever Turning
Chalice Lighting Albert Schweitzer, Adapted
Covenant
Morning Song
Reading by Joan Howard (adapted, first two stanzas by Diane Teichert)
Animals live in our barns, fields, chicken coops and factory farms.
They give up their milk, their hides, and their very lives
From which most humans choose to benefit.
Let us thank them for these precious gifts
And let us be reminded of our Duty
To treat them, in the words of Albert Schweitzer,
with “ a heart of compassion, gentle hands and kindly words.”
Animals Live in our Homes
They Sleep on our Window Sills
Graze Rhythmically in our Pastures
And Follow Us On Quiet Padded Feet and noisy hooves.
We Provide them Comforts
Of Shelter, Food and Affection,
And They Offer Us
Love and Unconditional Contentment.
Let Us Thank Them for This Precious Gift,
And Let us Be Reminded of our Duty,
Not Only to Them
But Also to their Wild Cousins.
Who pull the Nectar from Large Blossoms,
Lie in Chocolate Colored Mud,
And Wait for the Flutter of Wings
Or the Silent Movement of Fins.
They too are dependent Upon Us
To Preserve Their Homes
Of Forests and fields, Deserts, Skies and Oceans
In this Our Common World,
The interconnected web of all existence
of which we humans are but
a small, though dominant, part.
(Joan Howard, adapted)
Offertory Peter and the Wolf by Prokokiev
Joys and Sorrows
Meditation in Word, Silence, Song #123 Megan Lynes, Intern
Prayer for Animals by Albert Schweitzer
Hear our humble prayer, Oh God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering, for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry, and for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals...and so to share the blessings of the merciful.
Time for All Ages Presentation by Pre-K/K R.E. Class with Eric, Teacher
Song with Choir “All God’s Critters” by Bill Staines
Chorus:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got now!
Animal Stories Rev. Teichert and Hannah
Everyone who has a pet has a pet story. We collected some from some of you. Too many to share today.
For nearly every pet, there is a touching story of how it arrived—was it chosen? Did it choose you?
Here is one such story, two actually, and here are the pets about whom these stories are told: Cassie the dog and Ms. Wanda the cat, owned by newcomers Judy and Kerstin, who had to be away today but brought these photos last Sunday…
Member Jana, writes…
We also received funny pet stories. One from Elaine… about a mouse chase and another from Glynnis… about her gender-confused rabbit. Another was from Hannah…, who first brought to my attention the possibility of doing this Blessing of the Animals service and helped to plan it, along with our DRE Patsy Hatch Reinertson and Larry… who you met at the beginning of the service. I’ve asked Hannah to share her story…
Anthem I Bought Me a Cat Aaron Copeland
Blessing of the Animals
If you have brought your cat, a photo of your cat or some object representing your cat, please stand. Please call out your cat’s name, and then join me in this blessing
“For all the ways our cats bless us, may they be blessed with long and happy lives.”
Repeat for dogs. Repeat for other pets and ask the owners to tell the kind of pet and the name.
Hymn #203 All Creatures of the Earth and Sky
Benediction
For all the ways in which we are blessed by our animal brothers and sisters, may we be ever thankful, and mindful of our responsibility for the web of life.
Animal Parade/Recessional