Everybody does one of these services during their ministry, said a friend pointedly. Actually, after an afternoon
blessing animals on the green at Hulcott, I'd cheerfully do one a week. Eat your heart out, Dr Doolittle. The sun shone (fitfully and improbably). None of the congregation ate any of the others, which always helps on these occasions. Kudos to
Mark Ackford (Team Vicar) and
Peter Boulton (Churchwarden) for getting everything together so beautifully on the green. Also council workers who cut the grass specially this week to make it all possible. Above all, thanks also to Rosie the Corn Snake and Arthur the Badger, and their owners...
Hulcott Church, now part of the Aylesbury Team, is small but great fun — thirteenth century, with some very nice glass, a chamber organ and a carved altar added by one particularly keen Victorian Rector. In 1535 the manor was held by
Benedict Lee, great great (+ some) grand pappy of
Robert. E Lee. Just to set things in a true bucolic context, my favourite animal skit of all time, courtesy of Mr Chinnery, the well meaning but profoundly incompetent vetinarian on the
League of Gentlemen:
There’s a lovely picture in this week's Church Times from Hulcott, where I went to bless animals the other week, including a snake. I admit Fr Mark the vicar didn’t look too keen originally, but he soon cottoned on and was motoring before the end of the afternoon. I can guarantee the snake was lovely and warm and dry. I am now officially recommending snake handling to all my ordained colleagues. This is the Church of England, so they don’t have to be poisonous.
