From Reverend Pat Kriss: All God’s Creatures

(Posted September 30, 2018)

This weekend is one that makes us ALL reflect upon nature and the creatures on this fragile planet alongside whom we live. Around us the birds either begin their southward migration, or are busily loading up on food. The hummingbirds, minutes away from leaving, drink long and deep from the nectar feeders. They have an internal guidance system that tells them they must prepare for a trip that will take them 2,000 miles to Central America. With a more local blueprint for the upcoming winter, squirrels gather acorns and, well, squirrel them away for later. In the backyard, purple asters replace the daisies and clover, hardy plants that will withstand that first frost that will form in not too many days.

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Services begin at 10 a.m. All are welcome.

This Sunday after church some of us will take a journey down the Connecticut River to watch the swallow migration, viewing all manner of wildlife on the way. But even those of us who couldn’t be on that trip are on a journey of our own, watching the world turn the page to a new season. What’s important is for all of to realize that God has indeed written all of us creatures into the Book of Life, where we remain part of the same blueprint, dependent on one another to keep the world turning, and none of us truly expendable to that plan. We need to learn from Francis of Assisi, who prayed regularly about God’s creatures and often in the presence of the animals. And so I share the following anonymous prayer with you all, in the hope that you, too, will perhaps sit in the presence of nature, and bring blessings down upon us all in this Autumn moment --- Pastor Pat Kriss

God created us and placed us on the earth
          to be stewards of all living things,
          therefore let us proclaim the glory of our Creator, saying:
O God, how wonderful are the works of your hands.

Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe; you create the animals
          and give us the ability to train them to help us in our work. 

Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
          you give us food from animals to replenish our energies.

Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe; for the sake of our comfort
          you give us domestic animals as companions.

Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe; you care for us
          even as you care for the birds of the air.

Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
you offered your Son to us as the Passover lamb
and in him willed that we should be called your children. AMEN