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The above word 'Dog' is actually the word for a female dog. CD seems to think it is a curse word and censors it. This balance of female energy I do not feel with the stallion, he is male. But he has other wonderful and magical qualities. When I go out at night and call him from the pasture there is the sound of approaching thunder. He materializes before me out of the dark, as if the night had come alive. The Arab legend, it is in the Koran I think- And God took a handful of the south wind and said I bid you condense. I create you horse. I give you flight without wings.
That is beautiful.
My sister once had a half-Arab, Indy. Eastwind Indisan was his real name.
Do you write regularly? I've been working on a historical novel for years, a little at a time, and central to the story is the main character's quarterhorse, a bay gelding.
I thought I would relay this little story as a lighter-hearted side of our spiritual practices.
As I've said on here many times, I am active in a very small Episcopal church, a community of people of different backgrounds that some might see as odd, but we see as interesting.
The priest we had for the past five years retired to Florida along with his Rottweiler, Princess, who occasionally used to attend church with his wife. Another parishioner regularly attends with Rosie, a chihuahua mix, who sits quietly in the pew or her owner's purse while she goes up to get communion. Everybody pets Rosie along the way. Sometimes Snow, a mutt, comes along with her owner.
These dogs also double as sheep, cows, and a burro at the annual children's pageant. Another parishioner makes their costumes.
As a traditional Episcopal congregation, we observe St. Francis's Day in October, and that observance includes bringing in pets of all kinds to be blessed by the priest.
We have not yet been able to find a permanent part-time priest, so we have had a couple of retired priests who have been serving on a "supply" basis. Recently we learned of another retired priest who was interested in working as supply to start and who might consider the part-time position. He attended our church on Sunday to see what we were like. No dogs were present.
During the coffee hour, he spoke with the church admin and told him that he would be happy to start next month as our supply priest, but there was one condition. His vision is impaired, so his wife has to drive him, and she will only attend a church where she can bring her dog. Would that be OK? We assured him that they would fit right in.
One day last year after a local house was found to contain 286 dogs as a result of an attempt at dog breeding gotten out of hand and the dogs were brought to several local shelters, the parish did an impromptu collection of cash and blankets and other supplies to donate to the shelter nearest our church. We see this as part of being responsible to all creation.
To those of you who attend religious services, are animals welcome along with their people? Does your church participate in any fundraisers for animal-related charity? This is the first church I have ever attended where four-legged creatures are part of the parish.
(And no, I am not ever taking my cats to church.)
I would be strictly against it but then I am an old scrooge, but my daughter and my grandson have a serious problem around animals. I have a lady who wants to bring her dog in here all the time to pay her bill, and my grandson showed up right after and he is highly allergic like my daughter. But if it wasn't for that, I suppose I wouldn't mind. I mean, I don't go to church, but even when I do break down and go with mom, it's at cowboy church, and that would be one place of all places that you could bring a dog or a cat, and nobody would think nothing about it, but then in cowboy church, the preacher could ride a horse in to crop him off at the pulpit and nobody would think it strange lol.
I was sitting in a former church one Sunday and something that caught my eye. A white rabbit sitting under a seat. What goes through your mind when you see a white rabbit in church? The woman in front of us said “sorry”, scooped up the rabbit and put in in her large handbag. It got loose a few time causing someone to scream once. The church never did anything or said anything to her. I’m fine with that, it wasn’t hurting anyone.
My current church is a different story. I’ve seen a few people bring in their dog to a service. One had a vest on it. Each time the person was approached. After they spoke to the person, they left. So I’m taking a wild guess here and saying they’re not dog friendly.
Since I attend the Outside Church of Mother Nature, critters are integral members of the congregation.
Same here.
My pal "Lefty" the squirrel is assistant pastor.
Todd the toad is a deacon.
And lots of bird friends make up the choir. (even the poor grackles who don't exactly have the best singing voice, but it's ok.)
The congregation is every living thing in the backyard.
We meet often.
Same here.
My pal "Lefty" the squirrel is assistant pastor.
Todd the toad is a deacon.
And lots of bird friends make up the choir. (even the poor grackles who don't exactly have the best singing voice, but it's ok.)
The congregation is every living thing in the backyard.
We meet often.
(smile)
Loved this, .sparrow. We go to the same church.
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