As a Pastor one of the most often asked questions I receive, especially from kids, revolves around pets. Kids always want to know if their pet cat, dog, or even bird, will end up in heaven after they die.

Now I’m an avid believer in having pets because they do bring a sense of calm and peace into your life. If you’ve had a bad day, your pet is usually waiting to greet you when you arrive home. If you have a cat, they curl up on your lap and purr. If you have a dog, they greet you at the door with tail a wagin’ and sometimes full of slobbery puppy dog kisses. If you happen to have a lap dog, that’s even better because they too can curl up in a chair with you at the end of the day. No one knows if Jesus owned a dog during His lifetime, but if He did, I’m sure He’d be very pleased with what’s going on at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Reverend Rachel Bickford is now allowing people to bring their four-legged friends to a special service on Sunday.

Reverend Bickford said she came up with the idea after reading a Psalm which encourages “all living things to praise the Lord.” As she read the Psalm, her dogs were roaming around the church. That’s when she came up with the idea of allowing people to bring their dogs to church. She hopes they will bring some happiness to people coping through hard times. The only rule that’s strictly enforced in church, all dogs must be leashed. Otherwise, all breeds and sizes are welcome and invited to attend.

What does she call the new service?

Woof ‘n Worship

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus