In-Person & Online.
Cliff Ohmart, Worship Associate
All well-behaved fur-babies (on leashes or in crates), feather-babies, and scale-babies are welcome!
If you’re unable to attend or wish to honor an animal who’s passed, please send the animal’s name (and a picture if you have one) to Rev. Angeline by Thursday, Oct. 24 at noon.
Holy Kin — Sunday, October 25, 2026
Theme: The Holy and God | Soul Matters: Courage
Sunday’s service was a Blessing of the Animals that began in the sanctuary and continued on the patio. In the Time for All Ages, Rev. Angeline told a story from the Mahabharata, which is sacred to many Hindus, in a retelling adapted from Rev. Gary Kowalski. King Yudhisthira, known for always trying to tell the truth and doing what is right, climbs the Himalayas toward the gates of heaven with his brothers, his wife Draupadi, and a dog nobody had invited. One by one, the others could not go on, until only Yudhisthira and the dog reached the top. When Indra, king of the gods, says there is no place in heaven for dogs, Yudhisthira refuses: he will not leave someone who has been faithful to him. The dog is then revealed as Dharma, the god of what is right and good, who had walked beside him the whole way. Rev. Angeline named this as courage — saying no to heaven itself for a dog — and offered the heart of the morning: the holy was right there on the path the whole time, and Yudhisthira found it only because he was brave enough to love it and not let it go.
The children’s stuffed animals were blessed. During Joys and Sorrows, people brought forward photos of animal companions who have died, and the room filled with the spoken names of animals we love or have loved. Rev. Angeline also acknowledged the turmoil in our community over the past week and the anxiety many feel about the upcoming elections. We blessed our online animal friends over Zoom, and the offering went to NorCal Resist. Out on the patio, Rev. Angeline and Cliff blessed each animal by name: “May you live a long, happy, and blessed life. May there be food in your belly, a warm place to sleep, and joy in your days.”
The Holy Kin line in the social hall invites everyone to finish one of these sentences, in words or a drawing: “An animal showed me something holy when…” or “An animal who taught me courage was…” Friends online are welcome to email their responses to the office or to Rev. Angeline. We closed with Rev. LoraKim Joyner’s call and response: “May blessings flow.”
Service video: https://youtu.be/n_wE6pXMHT0?