PERFECT PAWS EXPANDS TO WELCOME ALL HOUSEHOLD PETS Web design by The Marketing Collaborative  Calvary Episcopal Church: Fostering love and respect for all life. PERFECT PAWS news coverage Click to View our new PERFECT PAWS PET MINISTRY E-NEWSLETTER Read about B.O.N.E.S. Therapy Dogs of Massachusetts Workshop at Calvary And now … paws and claws and fins and wings … CALVARY’S PERFECT PAWS PET MINISTRY BEGINS WELCOMING ALL HOUSEHOLD PETS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 19 DANVERS, MA -- Look for a new and improved Perfect Paws Pet Ministry (PPPM) in September, when Calvary begins serving the spiritual needs of pet owners -- not only of dogs, but also of cats and other small household pets (in carrying crates only).  That’s right, paws, claws, fins and wings are welcome at Calvary every third Sunday of each month.  People attending the once-monthly Perfect Paws Pet Ministry services which the Rector, the Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas, has been running since May, have been asking us to broaden the offering to include other household pets besides canines. The new, expanded service begins on Sunday, September 19, from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Once the suggestion was made, Rev. Thea gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to the idea, recalling how well different species of animals interact every year at the Blessing of the Animals run by Calvary (October 2, 2010 at Endicott Park, from 1 - 3 p.m.),  and noting that in veterinary clinics, all types of animals come into close proximity of each other, in relative peace, as they wait their turns in waiting rooms. For Rev. Thea, another appealing aspect of expanding the Perfect Paws service is the opportunity to offer an even richer worship service that welcomes all much-loved household, family pets to attend with their people.  “God is trying to reach us in so many ways in our lives, and one of those ways --  a really powerful way for many people -- is through their relationship with their pet,” says Rev. Thea. "Calvary is a church where we share a common commitment to take care of all of God's creatures and where we celebrate that special bond.  For many who come to our pet service, it is clear that the Spirit is very much alive in their lives. They recognize the value of all creatures, particularly those that give us love and loyalty and who stand by us no matter what. Expanding the service to include other animals is really a wonderful measure of the success of the Perfect Paws ministry," she says. Since May, and throughout the summer, Perfect Paws has attracted a steady stream of some 20 to 25 – occasionally 30  or more -- people and their canines, many of whom now attend regularly. Some people come without an animal, having recently lost a beloved animal friend, which is all the more moving! “Every week we find someone new to the group, who has come to explore and experience the peace and joy of this unique and loving service. It is a beautiful thing to behold.” We invite you to talk to friends and family about this lovely way – through our animal friends – to connect spiritually with one another and with God. All faiths are welcome to our warm and welcoming, accepting and LOVING church community. Copyright 2010, CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Danvers, MA. All rights reserved.