Bishop Melissa Skelton's first official visitation of her Episcopacy to St. Matthew, Abbotsford was a special event in many ways. Her visit included presiding at an afternoon Pet Blessing worship in recognition of the Feast of St. Francis.
Many thanks to Bishop's Warden, Linda Burton for supplying diocesan communications with this photo of Bishop Melissa blessing a canine member of the McCrae family. Holding the doggy is Frances, who is on the St. Matthew's Mission Council, to the right is Al who was recently confirmed, and his daughter Sarah. You can just see the edge of Sarah's pet hamster waiting its turn for a blessing.