Staff Report
Gainesville Daily Register
Gainesville —
Pet owners of a Godly mind may find interest in an “animal blessing” event set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at First Christian Church, 401 N. Dixon St. in Gainesville.
After a “meet and greet” reception featuring refreshments and games, the Rev. Dr. Laura Hobgood-Oster of Southwestern University will conduct pet blessings in the church’s Christian Life Center. The blessing segment will include a short litugy, and Oster will bless visiting pets in the tradition of St. Francis of Assisi.
Pets of all kinds are welcome, including large animals such as horses or goats, which Oster will bless in the church parking lot.
Oster is the chair of her university’s religion department, and she specializes in the history of animals as related to the Christian tradition.
She is also a writer, having published “The Friends We Keep: Unleashing Christianity’s Compassion for Animals.” Her next book, “A Dog’s History of the World,” will be released in 2013.
For more information, call (940) 372-0409.
