Mission Statement

We embrace and celebrate our companion animals who reflect God’s universal language of love and joy. We seek to raise awareness about the role they play in God’s mission, embodying God’s love and our call to stewardship of creation. We aim to create a safe space to pray for animals; provide pastoral care; resource the wider church and encourage outreach through online ministry.  

Our aim is to create beautiful resources that communities and individuals can use to celebrate, give thanks for, bless and grieve the lives of companion animals. Our Ministry Task Group continues to work in collaboration with community members to bring this ministry to life.

Below are some resources available for download including:

  • A Blessing of New Animals 
  • Short Memorial service to mourn animals

Scroll down to see or ministry values and other tools we use, as well as the resource guide we are building.

 

Ministry Values

Companion animals are part of our community online.

We give thanks for them, include them in our gatherings, and share about their place in our spiritual lives. We pray for them, see to their welfare and make connections with animals as a focus.

Animals are an expression of God’s love and remind us of our mission and vocation to care for creation with faithful stewardship.

From companion animals we receive: unconditional love, peace, joy, inspiration, comfort, care, patience and understanding.

We embrace the opportunity to minister to people through ministry with companion animals at each stage of life.

In giving animals’ mutual love and respect, we encounter God in the love that animals’ gift to us.

Our relationship with God and animals give us second chances in the universal language of love and forgiveness.

We advocate for the welfare of creation by raising our voice as a Church for those who can’t speak for themselves.

Both in and out of Church community animals are at the centre of our lives and we celebrate our animals as members of our Holy Hermits Online family. 

Commitment prayer
Developed by our community for this ministry in 2022

Creator God, we give thanks for your call to develop a Companion Animal Ministry at Holy Hermits Online. ​

​We ask for your grace to guide us, as we build this ministry together. ​

​Holy Spirit we ask your presence to be with us as we continue to develop resources together in this new season.  ​

​Provide us with wisdom and with compassion and with a sense of fun as we celebrate our companion animals and live this mission to outreach. ​

​Alongside Holy Hermit St. Francis, we ask you Lord Jesus Christ, to enliven us in this ministry space. ​

​Amen.

Resource Guide

Groups, agencies, programs and tools we have pooled together. Many of these rescue organizations invite donations to help further their work. A lot are QLD based where majority of our ministry-task group reside but we have some others listed too.

Working Animals we pray for

Please join us in upholding all working animals in prayer as well as these organizations who train, employ and responsibly retire them.

Care for Veterinary Industry Workers and Volunteers

We are committed to building pastoral care resources and support for those who often suffer mental health crisis as part of their work in the animal care industry.

Companion Animal Ministry is in our DNA

A reflection shared at our annual Animal Blessing service 2023