CREATURE CONSECRATION; BLESSING OF ANIMALS TO PROVIDE THANKS TO FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS.Byline: Holly J. Andres Daily News Staff Writer In a bucolic setting, under an old oak tree in a churchyard, San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. residents and their animal friends will gather the morning of May 30 to see the Rev. Janet Winslow bestow be·stow tr.v. be·stowed, be·stow·ing, be·stows 1. To present as a gift or an honor; confer: bestowed high praise on the winners. 2. the annual blessing of the animals on the lawn at Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church. ``This congregation, my first calling, is an incredibly outgoing, creative and innovative group. The church was doing this as an annual event before I came here,'' said Winslow, ordained or·dain tr.v. or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains 1. a. To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on. b. To authorize as a rabbi. 2. in 1996. ``The blessing of the animals is just one of the ways that the congregation of Shadow Hills reaches out to the local community.'' The members of the 47-year-old church make it a practice to interact with the community. They get involved with building houses with the Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity, nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing. Headquartered in Americus, Ga., it was founded in 1976 by businessman Millard Fuller and his wife. program, and each year they invite their Sunland neighbors to an annual Autumn Festival celebrating the changing seasons with food and entertainment. ``We try to enact our faith by the way that we live and by what we do in the community. God gives us the good things in life. This event celebrates the blessing that animals are in our life. They are a gift from God,'' Winslow said. ``We're charged by God to be stewards of animals and we're called upon to take good care of them.'' Usually performed around Easter, the blessing was postponed until this month due to the busy church schedule of activities and busy members. Winslow said the later date allows for concentrated reflection on the role of animals in our life. The ceremony is not exclusively a Catholic custom, as the well-known annual pre-Easter Olvera Street Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, and is otherwise known as the birthplace of the City of Angels or El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument and is a department within the city. blessing of the animals event might imply. Winslow acknowledged that it is definitely not a Presbyterian tradition either. Winslow will remind those gathered about God's word in Scripture regarding the gift of animals. ``Last year, I individually asked each person's name and that of their animal friend. I tried to personalize per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. the blessing to each of the participants. We had 35 to 40 animals here last year. Horses, bunnies, cats, dogs and lizards; we even had a snake,'' Winslow said. Musicians playing banjos and guitars will add to the praise of pet owners and their wild counterparts. Doughnuts and coffee for the two-legged, and carrots and biscuit biscuit, n the firing bakes, or stages (referred to as low, medium, and high), during the fusing of dental porcelain preceding the final, or glaze, bake. biscuit in dogs, a grayish-yellow coat color. treats for four-legged friends will be served. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1) Animals will congregate con·gre·gate tr. & intr.v. con·gre·gat·ed, con·gre·gat·ing, con·gre·gates To bring or come together in a group, crowd, or assembly. See Synonyms at gather. adj. 1. Gathered; assembled. 2. May 30 to receive a blessing at Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church. (2) The Rev. Janet Winslow will be giving the annual blessing of the animals in Sunland on May 30. Myung J. Chun/Daily News |
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