"... The Jeffery-Machins had no children, but they doted on their Alsatians. Tombstones in the vicarage garden marked the graves of their earlier pets, and each morning when Ivor met me in the Parish Church to say matins, his dog always accompanied him. She was allowed to wander around the empty church at will while we recited the psalms and canticles, and was always joined by a Golden Retriever, who somehow managed to arrive at the west door of the church at the same time as us.
"I believe this other dog came up the High Street from the lower part of town, and must have negotiated numerous traffic lights along the way. The two dogs solemnly walked about the church together, obviously enjoying each other’s company, and never getting in the way or being a nuisance.
"Occasionally, they would disappear behind the altar frontal, going in at one end and emerging from the other. I am sure that the Almighty was as pleased to welcome them as we were to enjoy their company. Afterwards, Ivor and his dog would part from me as we went our separate ways, and the fourth member of the company would happily trot off down the road to wherever he lived!"
For more great anecdotes from Rev Bryan Apps, check out H&H eBook, All God Creatures, available to download now.
A delightful compilation of funny and touching real life anecdotes relating to animals and birds which have engaged Bryan’s interest throughout his life. They are set, in chronological order, within the framework of his work as an Anglican priest. More generally, the account touches upon the life of a parish priest in the course of a ministry which stretches over more than fifty years.
The text is complemented by Bryan’s own drawings and sketches throughout.
For details on how to download your copy, visit the Hubble & Hattie website.
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