12 October 2025, Blessing of the Animals & Creation Sunday, Genesis 2:19–25, Psalm 8

Good morning, church family, guests, and animal friends! Welcome to our annual Blessing of the Animals service and Creation Sunday. Once a year, we set aside this time to give thanks and to bless the companions who share life with us not only cats, dogs, birds, and fish, but also the people beside us. This morning, we affirm that our lives are made fuller and richer through all God’s creatures. Let’s begin by turning to those around us people and animals alike and sharing a greeting of peace: "Peace be with you."

I once heard a story about a young man who was new to English. On a special day, he took his girlfriend to a fancy, authentic Italian restaurant. The menu was half English and half Italian, so he panicked a little, pointed to a few dishes, smiled, and hoped for the best. The waiter checked in: "Are you okay?" "Yes, yes," he replied. Then the waiter asked, very kindly and slowly, "Are you vegetarian?" He replied, "No, I’m Korean!" He didn’t know the word "vegetarian" and thought it was the name of a country, so he answered with great confidence.

Well, seeing as we’re blessing the animals today, maybe just for today or this week, I should be a vegetarian myself! It reminds me of something that happened a few years ago. After a Blessing of the Animals service at a previous church, a few leaders and I went to the local pub for lunch. And what did we order? Chicken schnitzels and steaks because they were "the specials." About halfway through, we looked at one another and burst out laughing. It felt a little awkward after spending the morning praying for our beloved animals! But that moment also made me think more deeply. Why did we laugh? Because deep down, we know there’s something holy about the bond between humans and animals—a gift from God.

The First Task: A Call to Relationship

Today’s readings remind us of that truth. In Genesis 2, we read that God brought every creature to the man, and the man gave them their names. I’ve read the creation story more times than I can count, but I’d never really lingered on this moment: God inviting Adam to name the animals.

Imagine the scene. In the beginning, the world was fresh and new. Rivers flowed, trees blossomed, birds sang, and animals roamed freely. God formed Adam from the dust and breathed life into him. Then God did something very tender, very human. God brought the animals to Adam, one by one, and asked him to name them. It was the first task ever given to humankind by God

a very special one.

I find this fascinating. God is almighty; He could easily have named the animals Himself. But instead, God gave that task to Adam. Why? The point, I think, is this: Adam, it was your turn. Not simply to share the garden, but to befriend its beings and bear responsibility for them.

A majestic lion comes forward. Adam looks, smiles, and says, "You shall be called Lion." A small bird flutters to his shoulder: "Sparrow." A playful dog tumbles at his feet: "Dog." It wasn't just a naming exercise, like ticking off a list. It was Adam’s first act of relationship with creation.

To Name Is to Matter

To name is to recognise. To name is to affirm that this creature has value, dignity, and a place in God’s world. To name is to say, "You are mine, you are connected to me. You matter." So when he named the animals, it was a commissioning—to care, to protect, to live in covenant with God’s creatures. I believe this creation story offers one of Scripture’s clearest and most wonderful pictures of humans and animals held together in God’s care.

That’s why today’s blessing matters. When we call our pets by name and speak blessing over them, it’s not just affection; it’s a humble, honest expression. Today, we bless our companions with the same careful, reverent heart Adam had as he named the animals. And God looks on with delight.

To make it personal: many of you know my dog’s name, Mandu. In English, "Dumpling." When our family chose that name, it was also a kind of blessing. In Korean tradition, animals are given food names. People believe this helps them live long. So "Mandu" isn’t just cute; it’s our family’s small expression of love and a prayer over his life with us. And no, you don’t need to rename your pet to "Fish and Chips"! Whatever their name, speak it with love, and let it be a blessing.

Awe and Humility: The Wisdom of Psalm 8

Here’s one more little episode. The same young man who didn’t know the word "vegetarian" later went to a steakhouse with his girlfriend. Feeling confident, he ordered a steak even picked the sauce perfectly. Then the waiter asked, "How would you like it cooked?" He said, "Uh… do your best, please."

I love that line! I think that’s what we sometimes say to God, too, don’t we? That phrase leads naturally to one of Scripture’s most beautiful songs: Psalm 8. Thinking of Adam naming the animals brings me there. The psalmist looks up at the night sky and cries out in wonder:

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have set in place, what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?"

God truly did his very best in creating this world. Faced with that excellence, the psalmist can only feel small. And yet that "best" comes to us as love. The psalmist, lying on his back beneath a canopy of stars, feels this miracle: "The universe is vast, and yet... God knows my name."

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth."

That wonder becomes a way of living. Genesis tells us what we’re called to do naming, caring, relating. Psalm 8 shows us how to do it with humility, gratitude, and wonder. Together, they remind us that our place in creation is not domination, but responsibility. And with that same spirit of gratitude and wonder, we now bless our companions.

An Expression of God's Wide Care

I know some of us may feel unsure about a service like this. Blessing animals? Bringing pets into church? It can feel unfamiliar, even a bit uncomfortable and I understand. This service isn’t about making animals equal to humans or turning worship into a pet show. It’s about remembering that God’s blessing is wide, and His care reaches through all creation.

So, brothers and sisters—and our animal friends today’s Blessing of the Animals is not just a sweet tradition; it reminds us who we are. Made in the image of God, we are called to name, to care, to bless, and to love all that God has made. As parents name a newborn with a promise of lifelong love, so God calls us to hold His creation with that same parental heart. To name is not merely to label; it is to remember, to honour, and to take responsibility.

Through the stars and moon above, through rivers and wind, and through the small companions beside us, we feel the touch of God’s fingers. Wonder becomes worship. Gratitude becomes care. We can sense that God has done His very best.

As we bless the animals today, may we also receive our calling anew and live as caretakers, neighbours, and companions—so that in every name we speak, the name of the Lord is glorified. As we lift our eyes to the heavens in awe, may we also lower our eyes to the small creatures beside us—with love, compassion, and blessing.

A Final Blessing

Now, as we go from this place, reach out your hands and open your hearts to every creature you meet every part of God’s creation. To the stars and the moon, to the mountains and the seas, to the rivers, the koalas and kangaroos, and to the pets who share our homes, whisper this blessing: "You were created by God, and you are loved by God."

Bless with your words, your touch, and your care. And I truly believe this: when we bless others, blessing flows back to us. In that moment, we sense the presence of our mighty and loving God the Creator who fills all things with life and love.

May you be blessed, and may you be a blessing. Amen.