Sermon for the 5th of October - Pet Blessing Service

I wonder what brought each of you here today….

I’m sure many of you are animal lovers and devoted pet owners – and who can blame you, surrounded by so many wonderful dogs!

But plenty of people who love their pets don’t come to a pet blessing service. So what has brought you here today – apart from the great photo opportunity?

Perhaps you’re here to share in the joy of celebrating, celebrating not only your own animals, but all animals.

Our reading tells us that every living thing is part of God’s creation – and that they are good.

And pets can be very good for us – for both our mental and our physical health. They are a beautiful reminder of the wonder of creation and of how humans and animals can live together in harmony.

That harmony is seen not only in our homes but also in the nature reserves and sanctuaries where people care for God’s creatures across the world.

Jane Goodall, who sadly died this week, was an extraordinary pioneer of that harmony. Through her years studying chimpanzees in East Africa, she helped us understand them as intelligent, emotional beings and inspired millions to care more deeply for the animal world.

As humans, Genesis says we are to have “dominion” over creation – not as power to exploit or dominate, but as a sacred trust: a calling to care for, love, and nurture, just as God cares for and loves us.

Exercising loving stewardship, means seeking the best for every living thing – from our beloved pets to the wild creatures who share our planet.

Jane Goodall once said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

Our pets remind us daily of that truth – of both the joy and the responsibility of living in harmony with all of God’s creatures and caring for the world we share with them.

So today, I invite you to celebrate and give thanks for your wonderful pets… AND to celebrate and give thanks for all of creation, committing ourselves afresh to exercise loving stewardship of this amazing world, just as God designed us to do.