Children at Margate Community Church have their bookbags blessed for the school year.
MARGATE Rev. Victoria Ney held a blessing of the bookbags Sunday, Sept. 8 for children of the congregation just in time for the new school year.
Ney asked the children and adults to bring their bookbags and briefcases to the service. Rev. Ney blessed them with a prayer and gave everyone a special tag to place in their bags.
Attorney Jenn Barr of the Cooper Levenson law firm brought her briefcase, stating she needed a special blessing for one of the case files in her briefcase.
The church will hold a traditional Blessing of the Animals after services at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6 on the lawn outside the church.
All are welcome to bring their pets. After a brief service, each pet will receive an individual blessing and there will be a moment of silence for pets who are unfortunately involved with sport dog fighting, puppy mills, and other inhumane, unethical treatment of animals.
Blessing of the Animals is a Christian tradition celebrated around the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of all creatures great and small.
For more information, call the Margate Community Church, 8900 Ventnor Ave., at 609-822-7147.
