October 1, 2020

I've had pets most of my life, but I always used to think that pet blessing services were pretty frivolous. Then there was an experience that changed my mind. I was a seminarian intern at a church in Connecticut. The church was surrounded by a graveyard dating back well before the Revolutionary War, and on an early October afternoon the rector and I stood on the steps of the church, with crumbling graves and falling autumn leaves surrounding us as we beloved animals of all kinds, including quite a few who were ill. There were many tears that day. It struck me then what a profound thing it is to experience the breathtakingly pure love that there can be between us and our animal friends.

Francis himself was not a frivolous saint. He took his faith seriously and lived it out with all his heart. He was uncompromising. He saw how all creation is the realm of God—hence the tradition of blessing animals on his Feast Day—but more importantly he showed us how to love God and each other fiercely. He showed us to let go of all else. The purity in his love for God and fellow men and women was also a source of joy.

We will celebrate all of this on Sunday when we bless animals at our Virginia outdoor gathering. We'll have the blessing service from 3:30pm to 4pm, and then begin our regular service at 4pm. All ages are welcome! To attend, please sign up here and click on the 4pm Virginia gathering. Please sign up before noon tomorrow.

You can find out much more about Francis' remarkable life here.

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A time for generosity. On Sunday, we heard a testimonial from vestry member Andrew Clarke, inviting us to begin thinking about how much St. John's means to us, and to prepare to support this church that we love during a time in which it needs all of our support. You may view his talk now at this link.

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How to help, or how to get help. During this difficult time, St. John's is looking to connect people in need of assistance with those who are able to help. If you fall into either category, please visit this link or send an e-mail to help@stjohns-dc.org with your name, contact information, and details of the type of support you can give or the support you need. And to get involved in any of our ongoing local outreach ministries, which are in special need curing this time, you may click here.

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