Blessing the Animals

Blessing of the Animals at Trinity Lime Rock

In Walker Hall, before the Blessing of the animals

A scene in Walker Hall before the service at which we bless the animals

WE WERE THE FIRST CHURCH IN OUR AREA  to conduct a blessing of our companion animals and those of our visitors.  Many other area churches have begun to hold blessings of the animals now, but we’re still a little unusual in the way we conduct ours.  In keeping with the life of St. Francis, we enthusiastically welcome the animals (at least the ones that are small enough to be easily managed) right into the Holy Eucharist with us.  (Large animals, such as horses, are blessed following the service in Trinity Field.) Even in 2020, when the building was closed due to COVID-19, we managed to hold our annual Blessing of the Animals, but via Zoom.  This year, Pastor Heidi blessed the critters belonging to three boarding school students who attend Trinity via photos on the students’ cellphones!

Every year we wait for an animal to seriously misbehave.  It’s been a long time, and it’s yet to happen.  Aside from an occasional bark or meow, we find that our animal friends seem to feel welcome at Trinity, and seem to understand how to behave.

It occurs on a Sunday early in October each year, near the Feast of St. Francis, and yes, all are welcome!  And so are your animals! Join us for the Blessing of the Animals at Trinity Lime Rock!

But you don’t have to be around Trinity very long before you realize that animals are part of our parish life all year long…

Pastor Heidi, with Keen, in the nave one morning in 2021