St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and the environment. His Feast Day is October 4. Because Francis expressed his devotion to God through his love for all of God’s creation, the custom of offering blessings of animals around or on his Feast Day grew up.
Congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth will be offerings blessings of animals in a variety of settings including church lawns and porches, park pavilions, and parking lots from Sunday, October 1 through Thursday, October 14.
Sunday, October 1
East Fort Worth
10 am – St. Luke’s in the Meadow Episcopal Church will have a family-friendly worship service followed by the Blessing of the Animals in the pavilion at Oakland Lake Park, 1645 Lake Shore Drive, Fort Worth, 76103,
Clergy: The Rev. Karen Calafat
http://www.stlukesfw.org/
Phone: 817-534-4925
Map to Oakland Park
TCU Area
4-5 pm – Trinity Episcopal Church, 3401 Bellaire Drive So., Ft. Worth, TX 76109, will have a Blessing of the Animals on the front lawn. Pets and people are invited to come for a blessing.
Clergy: The Rev. Carlye Hughes, the Rev. Andrew Wright, the Rev. Amy Haynie
http://www.fortworthtrinity.org/
Phone: 817-926-4631
Wednesday, October 4
Southwest Fort Worth
6-7 pm – Pet blessings will be offered at St. Christopher Episcopal Church, 3550 Southwest Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX 76133.
Clergy: The Rev. Bill Stanford
http://www.stchrisfw.org/
Phone: 817-926-8277
Hurst
6 pm – St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 463 West Harwood Road, Hurst, TX 76054, will bless household pets in front of the church in the Gazebo at the Village Plaza shopping center.
http://www.ststephensepiscopal-hurst.org/
Phone: 915-479-4669
Saturday, October 7
West Fort Worth
9 am – All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 5001 Crestline Road, Fort Worth, TX 76107. Pet Blessings will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. on the lawn. Every animal will receive an individual blessing. Clergy: The Rev. Christopher Jambor, the Rev. Melanie Barbarito, the Rev. Lynne Waltman
http://www.asecfw.org/
Phone: 817-732-1424
Southwest Fort Worth
9 am -12 pm – Petco, 5600 Overton Ridge Blvd, Suite F, City View Towne Crossing, Fort Worth, TX 76132
Clergy: The Rev. Bill Stanford of St. Christopher Episcopal Church
http://www.stchrisfw.org/
Phone: 817-926-8277
Map to Petco
Decatur
10 am – The Episcopal Church of Wise County will join the First United Methodist Church of Decatur for a joint Blessing of the Animals in the church yard at the historic Episcopal Mission of the Ascension, 905 S. Church Street, Decatur, TX 76234. All members of the community, two-and-four legged, are welcome. This is the second year the Episcopalians and the Methodists have joined together for the pet blessings.
Clergy: The Rev. Tony Hiatt, Pastor Brian Bosworth
http://www.wisecountychurch.org/
Phone: 940-222-8705
Keller/Southlake
5 pm – St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 223 S. Pearson Lane, Keller, Texas, 76248. There will be a Blessing of the Pets in which current pets are blessed and pets no longer with us are remembered. Children can have their stuffed animals blessed.
5:45 – 6:15 pm – Drive-by blessings for shyer pets.
Clergy: The Rev. Scot McComas, the Rev. Susan Slaughter
http://www.stmartininthefields.org/
Phone: 817-431-2396
Sunday, October 8:
Arlington
10 am – St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, worshiping in Theatre Arlington, will celebrate the Blessing of the Animals at Vandergriff Park, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington, 76014. Pets should be on a leash or crated for safety.
Clergy: The Rev. Kevin Johnson
http://www.saintalbansarlington.org/
Phone: 817-264-3083
Map to Vandergriff Park
Granbury
4 pm – The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Granbury, will hold a Blessing of the Animals at Hewlett Park, 650 E State Loop 426, Granbury, TX 76048.
Clergy: The Rev. Suzi Robertson
http://www.goodshepherdgranbury.org/
Phone: 832-723-3129
Map to Hewlett Park
Thursday, October 14
Parker County
Noon-2 pm – The Episcopal Church in Parker County is partnering with Parker Paws for Paws in the Park at Heritage Park on October 14, 2017. They will be offering pet blessings from noon -2 pm during which people also will get a St. Francis medal for their pet’s collar. The Episcopalians will be providing free bottles of water for the duration of the event, which is noon to 4 pm. People can volunteer to help at https://www.episcopalchurchparkercounty.org/petblessings2017.
Clergy: The Rev. Hunter Ruffin
hunter.ruffin@parkercountyepiscopal.org
Phone: 954-504-0006
Map to Heritage Park