O God, who has made all the earth and every creature that dwells therein: Help us, we pray you, to treat with compassion the living creatures entrusted to our care, that they may not suffer from our neglect nor become the victims of any cruelty; and grant that in caring for them we may find a deeper understanding of your love for all creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Pet Visitation program has two VIPs (Very Important Pets): Sparkle and Murphy. Visit our Gallery Link to see some photos, and read about their experiences.
You may begin to notice more furry friends around St. Martins in the future as we introduce the new St. Francis Pet Ministry. Below are the types of things we would like to accomplish with this ministry. Right now, our most important goal is to invite you to participate. Perhaps in this list below, you might find something that will inspire you to become involved either in the short or long term.
1. Help add information to our new Pet Ministry Webpage which will serve as a center regarding pet resources or where to get assistance in a time of crisis.
2. Create and maintain a prayer list for members whose pets who may be sick or dying. The list would be maintained on the website and our group would send appropriate cards.
3. Support animal rescue organizations which may involve coordinating with Sunday School classes that support various pet charities. Collecting food or supplies for pet owners who cannot afford to purchase food for their pets would be a great way to get involved.
4. Provide education and have speakers to talk about pets and healing, or the spiritual connection that pets provide.
6. Periodic church services in Prayer Garden with your pet. (Prayer service led by layperson).
7. Monthly (or periodic) dog walks at Murphy Candler or Blackburn Park, followed by community gathering at Starbucks or other pet friendly coffee place.
8. Offer a Canine Good Citizenship class. This would enable our pets to visit nursing homes or other facilities and help bring good cheer to those who may not be able to have pets at this time in their lives.
There are many other possibilities and if you have additional ideas and would like to contribute to this new ministry, please contact Michelle Hall at michellehall@bellsouth.net (404) 271-2799 or Ingrid Siegert at isiegert@stmartins.org (404) 228-0753 to add your pet's name to the online prayer list. If you feel you would be interested in co-chairing this new ministry with Michelle Hall, please call or email her. This should be great fun and an opportunity to get to know our parish pets.
Pet Ministry Prayer Request Form
Your pet prayer request will remain on the website for one month. If you would like your prayer request to remain on the website longer than that, you must resubmit your request at the end of the month.
Visit our Upcoming Events link for information on our summer programs!
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St. Martin's new Pet Ministry was featured in the DeKalb Neighbor. To read the article online, click here.
The St. Francis Pet Ministry adds another dimension to spiritual life at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church. We provide a forum to explore the remarkable spiritual and unique relationships we have with the animals who provide us with comfort and companionship.
