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From Canon Ann Easter, Chief Executive of a Charity and Chaplain to the Queen:

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Last Saturday, October 4th, the church remembered St Francis of Assisi, that rich young man who, at the turn of the twelfth century, gave up all his privilege and comfort to live as a friar in poverty, chastity and obedience.

Francis is particularly known for his great love for all of God’s creation, and it was he who first came up with the idea of a Christmas Nativity scene – that scene we know so well of the little group of people, animals and angels around the baby Jesus but, unlike most of the churches since, St Francis used real people and animals - brave man!

To mark his day, some churches have pet services around this time and the congregation is invited to bring their pets, or a photograph of them if that’s easier, to be blessed.

It’s good fun, if a bit risky! My dog Zippy, who’s a West Highland Terrier, didn’t go to the service at St Mary Magdalene’s on Sunday; last time she attended a pet service, she disgraced herself! While I wasn’t looking, she crept into a corner and left a donation, then barked all the way through every hymn.

But as well as dogs, we had snakes, cats and hamsters, most of whom behaved themselves. At least in East Ham, our pet service doesn’t have to accommodate horses, ponies and donkeys like those of my friends who work in rural churches – I don’t know how I’d cope with that.

I believe that all the love that we experience here on earth comes from God and that must include the loving relationships we have with our pets; whose heart doesn’t melt when a purring moggy climbs onto their lap or cheer up when an over-excited mutt welcomes them home. Pets can heal, soothe and give us a reason to get up and they're all part of God's gift to us to remind and reassure us that we are loved.