St. John’s Episcopal Church will offer a “Blessing of the Animals” in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment and animals, on Friday, October 5, starting at 6:00 p.m. The service will be offered outdoors in the new courtyard and parking lot located at the corner of Chestnut and Mulberry Streets (entrance on Mulberry street). Rain date is Friday, October 12 at 6:00 p.m.
All Creatures Great and Small
All are invited to bring your animal companion for a short service and blessing followed by refreshments and opportunities to visit with several special local non-profit organizations providing rescue, support or service training to benefit our community. Lancaster City’s Mounted and K-9 units will also be on hand for the event. Goodwill donations will be accepted for our non-profit participants. (More details to follow)
We ask everyone to bring your special pet leashed or in a cage or carrier for their comfort and safety since we are located on a busy street corner. Also, feel free to bring a picture of your pet for blessing if you feel that bringing him or her to the event would be too stressful.
Animals have always been a part of our human experience. They teach us so much about faithfulness, friendship, love, forgiveness and acceptance. In addition, their unique and keen senses are now being employed to provide us with all kinds of service and support as we better understand their ability to defend, search, detect health issues, and sense out our emotional support needs. They act as our eyes, ears, hands and feet and the list goes on and on. St. Francis recognized the great blessing and value of animals and now we continue that tradition recognizing that we are only at the beginning of recognizing their true worth and how much they bless our lives!
Come and share in a service of celebration and thanksgiving for our pets.
For more information, contact Marion Wear, event coordinator, at 717-544-6229 or marion.s.wear@gmail.com.
