I'm sure there are some folks out there who have questions about this "pets welcome" church and want to know why and how it came to be. So I thought in this journal, I would try to answer some of those questions and explain how we came to be.
I have been an ordained minister since 2003 but had spent most of those years as a graphic designer. In 2007, my beloved dog Gypsy became very ill and eventually I had to let her go. I took a day off from work to deal with the difficulties of this tough decision. When I returned to work the next day, the response to my taking time off for a "dog" was typical of many people: "it was just a dog..."
At this devastating time for me, there was nowhere for me to go to get support and help for my grief. When my son had to have his dog put down, he ran into another insensitive situation when the vet decided that while putting his dog down, she needed to teach an intern about the death process.
This started me thinking about a place where people could be comfortable in their grief but also in their joys when talking about and dealing with their pets. And that's how the idea for All Creatures ULC became a reality.
I am a Christian and so the church needed to be about God, the bible, Jesus and Christianity. However, I am not hardline, fundamentalist or against other ways of thinking or believing. So we are an interfaith, non denominational church that welcomes everyone, human and animal, to our services. I use readings and stories from many faiths to illustrate God's great love for all creatures and to help us become closer to our own pets.
So why do we meet in an indoor dog park? Simply because it's the only place where we can bring our pets with us every Sunday no matter what the weather. We have held some services outside during the summer. Most churches don't really want people and their pets to come into the church. That's why most Pet Blessing services done by other churches are held outside.
At our indoor dog park, pets can be themselves. And if there's an occasional accident, it's okay. We just clean it up and go on. Our services are casual with the occasional bark or purr interrupting, but the animals are remarkably peaceful and calm, especially during prayers.
So if you're looking for a place where both you and your pets can be at home in your Father's house, drop by some Sunday. Both your and your pets are welcome.