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Dear Friends, 
 
This Sunday we join with many churches across the country in observing the commemoration of Francis of Assisi with a blessing of the animals.  
 

In the Scriptures, the act of blessing means 'the imparting of power or life.' The person performing the blessing is mediating that power from God or Christ to the person performing or the animal involved. 

To bless is more than an expression of goodwill and caring. To bless is to impart God's power in person! 
The word Shalom is one Hebrew expression of blessing.

The benefit of animals in our society and pets in our daily lives cannot be overlooked, so to bless them at church is not just a fun thing to do, it is acknowledging their importance to both us and God. 
The blessing of each animal, by name, means that health, healing and life are being mediated from God for the benefit of the animal in its relationship with its human partners. 
However, there is no separation between human animals and other animals, we are all blessed by our common kinship in God's creation. 
 
Who was this man called Francis of Assisi?  Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, nicknamed Francesco, was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in the middle ages who heard the call of Christ after some events happened in his life. He and his father had an argument which ended with Francis being disowned by his father and Francis, in turn, disowning him by stripping off his clothes and placing them at his father's feet and walking away naked stating he is wedded to Lady Poverty. 
Francis' biography is quite the story and I encourage you to become acquainted with him here:
 
In our baptism we are called to be caregivers of each other and the world God made. 
We are called to be good stewards or caretakers of the land and all its inhabitants. 
 
One of three sub themes of the commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 is Creation-not for sale.  
On the back cover of Eternity for Today 2015 (October to December) it is written: 
"The theme Creation-not for sale underlines theologically that nature has to be respected and 
protected as God's good creation, entrusted to human care. 
Therefore it cannot be subject to exploitative human domination nor 
can its resources be concentrated and exploited as commodities."  
 
May our worship on Sunday with our beloved animals and each other remind us of this call to care for all of creation as we are cared for by God.
 

A St Francis Prayer of Blessing (Micha Jazz):

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers,
half-truths and superficial relationships,
so that we will live deeply in our hearts.

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression
and exploitation of people and the earth,
so that we will work for justice, equity and peace.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer,
so that we will reach out our hands
to comfort them and change their pain to joy.

And may God bless us with the foolishness to think that
we can make a difference in our world,
so that we will do the things which others say cannot be done. Amen.
 
 
 
Two books that may be of interest to you and are available to be borrowed are:
"Making Peace with the Land: God's call to Reconcile with Creation" by Fred Bahnson & Norman Wirzba
"Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" 
Please speak with Pastor Jenn following church if you would like to borrow one of these books.
 
 
In Christ,
Pastor Jennifer