UUFR 75th Anniversary Blog Post #6

By Lynda Hambourger

Celebrating All Creatures

Coming up soon at UUFR is a beloved and joyful service: a Blessing of the Animals. Such

services have happened irregularly over many years at UUFR. Looking through UUFR’s

collection of archival notebooks, I found a newspaper article about one animal blessing that took

place just about 22 years ago, on May 5, 2002. It reminded me that I had attended the event,

along with my dog, Lucy, a Dalmatian.

Officiating at the service was LoraKim Joyner, who was then the assistant minister at UUFR.

LoraKim was also a licensed veterinarian and a great lover and friend of animals. She organized

the 2002 interfaith Blessing of the Animals service at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, and everyone

was welcome to attend, as long as they were well-behaved. “You can’t bring animals that don’t

want to come. That just isn’t right,” LoraKim told the News & Observer reporter who interviewed

her prior to the service.

In addition to her work at UUFR, LoraKim served as a chaplain at the N.C. State University

College of Veterinary Medicine. There she counseled humans–and animals–dealing with difficult

health situations. Blessings can help at such times. Coincidentally, LoraKim’s Blessing of the

Animals service was held on May 5, marking the first day of Be Kind to Animals Week. This

year, May 5 is again the first day of Be Kind to Animals Week.

According to the UUA website, LoraKim Joyner currently serves as a community minister in

Multispecies Ministry and Compassionate Communication. She is also a Certified Trainer in

Nonviolent Communication and a wildlife veterinarian working actively in Latin American avian

conservation where she emphasizes the human dimensions of conservation. LoraKim was an

inspiration to me; I credit her with setting me on the path toward vegetarianism. Now, living (with

Penny, my Lhasa Apso) in a farming area of the North Carolina mountains, I remember LoraKim

as a model for appreciating all the creatures we share the earth with.

Do you have a memory of a particular community or social action project supported by UUFR?

We want your stories! Please send your story and any related pictures or photos

to stories@uufr.org.