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Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon, GA
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Blessing of the animals worship service
- Thread starter Michael Wrenn
- Start date
OldRegular
Well-Known Member
In name only. "Saint Francis Service" kind of clued me in that this was not a typical Baptist church. "creating a sacred space" on all of their webpages does as well. They have a sacred space called the "Center for Spiritual Formation", Taize service and a contemplative prayer group. "We truly desire to create a space where God’s spirit can commune with our spirits..." I notice quotes from St. Francis of Assisi as well.
But what's missing? Oh - their statement of faith. Why is that?
Francis of Assisi?
"We do not often enough realize, I think, the friendship of all God’s creatures to those who are His children. St. Francis, though he was a Romish monk, yet had a true idea when he used to regard the sparrows and other birds of the air, and even the dogs in the street, as his friends and his brothers, and talked to them as such. And Luther was much of the same mind when he opened his window and listened to the chirpings of the robins in the early spring, and felt that they had come to teach the theological doctor some lesson which he had not learned." —Charles Spurgeon, " The Ark of the Covenant"
"We do not often enough realize, I think, the friendship of all God’s creatures to those who are His children. St. Francis, though he was a Romish monk, yet had a true idea when he used to regard the sparrows and other birds of the air, and even the dogs in the street, as his friends and his brothers, and talked to them as such. And Luther was much of the same mind when he opened his window and listened to the chirpings of the robins in the early spring, and felt that they had come to teach the theological doctor some lesson which he had not learned." —Charles Spurgeon, " The Ark of the Covenant"
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I dont know Ann, Im so conditioned to them taking the name "Baptist" off their signs that I kinda believe it when I see one advertising. But seriously, we should just leave St. Francis animal blessings to the RCC, the Episopalians & the United Methodists. however if the name "Baptist" can be used so cheaply & casually then .....pause for reflection.
Here's Highland Hills Baptist featured on the Southern Baptist Convention website:
http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=4846-31211
http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=4846-31211
Yeah, that doesn't mean a whole lot. Where is their statement of faith? Aren't they a church - or are they a club?
Jerome....From what I understand, Francis never attained a real ordained rank in the catholic church hierarchy / I believe a deacon so he was pretty much a lay itinerant preacher & holy man who roamed the countryside. Pope Innocent finally awarded him an order ...Order of Friars Minor .....see attached if interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan
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Alive in Christ
New Member
Actually, from looking at thier web site, they are...
http://www.highlandhillsbaptist.org/children/2012/9/25/st-francis-service-and-blessing-of-the-pets.html
Then shows me their statement of faith that shows them to be baptistic in faith and practices.
Alive in Christ
New Member
Annsni..You implied that this chuch is Baptist "in name only"
I just checked out all of the links on thier website and found nothing problamatic in any way. Nothing Anti-Baptist at all.
Yes, they are a bit progressive, but that certainly isint problamatic. Nothing I found is heretical at all
Michael Wrenn
New Member
I can't believe a few of the responses here. If anyone has ever loved a pet or prayed for a pet, a "blessing of the animals service" should not be a problem. Seems that a couple of people here are into nit-picking pettiness.
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Michael Wrenn
New Member
Could you explain why? Why leave this to those groups? What's wrong with saying a prayer for a pet, which is essentially what these services are?
Michael...I don't believe we should make the baptist church something it isn't. As Baptists we are to walk the narrow parh of a focused scriptural life as a gymnast walks the beam. It's a focus Michael that requires a very dedicated person makes to God after being regenerated where he just gives it over to the being who is all love, all authority, allcompassion & mercy. You rest in the knowledge that He is incharge & at the core...its all good & and it's all right. So lit others have their traditions and their ceremonies, I havehave long ago internalized it...now my love for animal's is an inward thing!
The Church has its mission and it is making disciples for Christ. The church has not been called to evangelize animals, disciple animals, or minister, pray or preserve animals. In Vietnam they eat dogs and cats and probably some ask a blessing over the food they are about to digest.
Some make sheep, cows, pigs, chickens pets also. Should we stop having them on our menu? I do ask God to bless them as I eat them how about you?
OldRegular
Well-Known Member
Well said!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Thinkingstuff
Active Member
Reminds me of a joke i heard once. A missionary in Africa was walking accross the open plains on his way to evangelize a tribe there. Along the way he saw a lion coming upon him and he became teriffied. Knowing he couldn't out run the beast he got on his knees and closed his eyes in prayer and asked the Lord to help him. after a few moments he opened his eyes and to his amazement he saw the lion with head bowed and body posture as one in prayer. The missionary rejoiced that somehow this lion had faith and was praying. Being curious then as to the nature of the lion's prayer the Missionary leaned closer and heard the following words: "Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."
I was trying to remember that joke but I couldn't remember all the details. I remember part of another joke like that one about a bear hunter upon meeting a bear. The bear asked the hunter to pray with him before pulling the trigger. So they both knelt down and the bear prayed, "Dear Lord this hunter needs a fir coat and I need a meal please provide both. Amen" upon which the bear seized the advantage of the hunter on his knees and devoured him and thus the hunter received his fur coat and the bear his meal.
Thinkingstuff
Active Member
I haven't heard that one but like it! Thanks for sharing it!
I have a very good friend, named Carl who is a Conservative Rabbi in Northern NJ. He told me that after a extensive Torah study that he & his wife visited a kill house & that turned them vegetarian. Carl showed me how the Jewish reverence for life issues were so keen that when they harvest wheat they say prayers of thanksgiving for the harvested grain & when they kill an animal they attempt to do it as humanely & painlessly as possible & pray for it & thank God for the food provided. In the beginning, God provided for Adam & Eve's needs & this is a result of our sin that we have to kill. The Jews meat kosher laws are more about the humane slaughter method than anything else.
And I am no stranger to killing---My mothers family were butcherer's & poultry people. It was a way of life (some ways ugly & in some ways rewarding)....we did not however consider the feelings of the animals we killed...it was part of our day to day life.
So now I keep chickens--not to eat & really not for pets but for the eggs they provide. See I am diabetic & so I need protein & eggs are the richest form you can get. Do I still eat meat--yes but less because of the eggs. My chickens also provide natural fertilizer for my garden (2nd by product) & they also provide entrainment...Ive got two roosters & one is the alpha....his name is "Tail" & he comes when I call him, sits in my arms & feeds from my hand....he also protects the hens like a shepherd with his flock.
I can go on but I have come to appreciate ,thru these guys & my dogs & a few cats & horses Ive been introduced to, quality of life that glorifies God perhaps greater than I knew previously, & I am grateful for that.
Bless them.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
~Cecil Frances Alexander
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
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