Blessing of the Animals

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God bless the animals.

Let us remember to give thanks for all of the significant animals in our lives, past and present, and for the wonderful lessons we learn from all of your wondrous creatures.

Give us, God, the gentleness of the rabbit,
the working ability of the beaver, the courage of the lion,
the cunning of the fox,
the bravery of the tiger
and the fortitude and resiliency of the coyote.

May we always have the lovely family life of the wolf,
whose members care for one another with sincere devotion.

Grant us the common sense of the horse,
the strength of the ox
and especially, God,
we ask for the humor, comedy and playfulness
of the sea otters and the squirrels.

Bless us each with the mastery of good grooming and relaxation of our cats
and with the loyalty and devotion of our dogs.

Best of all, God, fill us with the sheer joy of the songbirds at dawn,
heralding a new day and forgetting the past.


Help us to awaken to and learn from their wisdom
and their sweetness,
their loyalty
and particularly
their seeming inability to judge human beings unkindly.

Amen.

- by The Rev. Lauren McLaughlin
from the book Blessing the Animals: Prayers and Ceremonies to Celebrate God’s Creatures, Wild and Tame. Edited by Lynn L. Caruso

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Church Bulletin Slip Ups

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Enjoy!

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These sentences actually appeared in a church bulletin or were announced in a church service:


Announcement in the church bulletin for a National Prayer and Fasting Conference. "The cost for attending the Prayer and Fasting Conference includes meals."

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again" giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget to bring your husbands."

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.

The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."

Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

Don't let worry kill you off. Let the Church help.

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM.-prayer and medication to follow.

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

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St. Anne's Ministry Fair - September 20th

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Butterflies

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What the caterpillar calls the end of the world

the master calls a butterfly.

Richard Bach

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I Am

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Song of Amergin

I am the wind that blows across the sea;
I am the wave of the deep;
I am the roar of the ocean;
I am the stag of seven battles;

I am the hawk on the cliff;
I am a ray of sunlight;
I am the greenest of plants;
I am a wild boar;
I am a salmon in the river;

I am a lake on the plain;
I am the word of knowledge;
I am the point of a spear;
I am the lure beyond the ends of the earth;
I am the god who put fire in your head;





Who made the trails through stone mountains;
Who knows the age of the moon;
Who knows where the setting sun rests.

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Come All You Sailors, Lovers, Seekers...

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COME ALL YOU SAILORS

Come all you sailors
Sail upon my sea
Swim in these salty waters
Cleanse the wounds that run so deep

Come all you lovers
Give your hearts to me
Come with your broken dreams
and your ruined fancies



Come all you seekers
Realize that you can see
Find within your deepest longing
That all you need is me

- The Wailin' Jennys

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Bread of Life

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Be gentle when you touch bread.

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Let it not lie uncared for, unwanted.

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So often bread is taken for granted.

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There is so much beauty in bread;

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beauty of sun and soil,

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beauty of patient toil,

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winds and rains have caressed it,

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Christ often blessed it.

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Be gentle when you touch bread.

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Celtic prayer