Revd Jenny McKay, keen to maintain connections with her veterinary colleagues during the Covid outbreak, initiated a Facebook page named @thereverendvet. This platform has since flourished, amassing close to 9,000 followers globally.
Serving as an Associate Priest at St George’s in Stockport, Jenny dedicates two Sundays each month to her ministry. She embodies the role of a ‘Minister in Secular Employment,’ balancing her clerical duties with her secular profession. For the majority of the week, Jenny applies her expertise as a Veterinary Pathologist, identifying diseases by analysing animal tissues and fluids.
The advent of Covid in 2020 compelled Jenny to adapt her professional activities to a home setting, a challenge also faced by her peers. Eager to sustain the camaraderie of the workplace, she established a makeshift video studio at home, equipped with a webcam, microphone, studio lights, and even a green screen for professional-grade background effects.
While initially intended for her laboratory colleagues, her Facebook page began to captivate a broader audience, including individuals from the UK and beyond. The page merges intriguing animal facts with insights on faith, a combination Jenny believes has made spirituality more approachable for those hesitant about church attendance. She remarks,"Social media is a great way of evangelising. The good news is that I've seen people who weren't interested in church actually joining their own churches. It's amazing the number of people you can reach."
For those interested in learning more about Jenny’s Facebook endeavour or contemplating a similar venture, she welcomes inquiries at mckayjenny56@gmail.com