Interfaith Celebration of Animals Service
For the 10th. consecutive year, Feargus O’Connor, QCA committee member and Unitarian minister, organised the Interfaith Celebration of Animals at Golders Green Unitarians on Saturday October 5.
As well as representatives of many faiths, Gavin Grant and Barbara Gardner, CEO and Trustee of the RSPCA, were key speakers.
It was a heartwarming and uplifting Service. Interspersed with Feargus’ words of welcome, and candle-lighting for the world’s animals – with special candles for elephants and badgers – together with hymns, prayers, and readings from the various faiths, the two Speakers, in their different ways, gave totally inspiring talks.
Barbara Gardner (author of The Compassionate Animal) told us that part of our human evolution is the necessity to develop and grow to a higher level of consciousness, in other words to aspire to God realisation. She said that great world teachers are needed from time to time to discard the unnecessary rules, regulations and observances which over the centuries tend to clog up many religions, and these teachers are needed to bring us back to the ultimate spiritual truths.
Gavin Grant said that he was proud to celebrate the diversity of creatures with whom we have the privilege of sharing the planet. He told us about the early days of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was founded in 1824 in a coffee house in London, ironically named ‘Old Slaughter’.
Gavin pointed out to us that the animals don’t care about our personal labels – rich or poor, male or female, religious or otherwise – they just love us – and confidently expect love in return. Since his appointment as CEO of the Society about twenty months ago, he has worked to return the RSPCA to its early roots, to re-energise it in the knowledge of the responsibility that God has placed upon us to care for all animals.
report by Sonia Waddell
- Organised by: Golders Green Unitarians