To mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, Christ Lutheran Church will host a Blessing of the Animals event on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. The service and activities will take place at Cassell Farm, the church's picnic property, located at 522 Cassell Road, Elizabethtown.

"It will be of biblical proportions," joked pastor A.J. Domines. "Think Noah's Ark."

While that might be a bit of an exaggeration, the event is open to pets of all kinds.

"We do a blessing of the pets each year, and we get about 10 to 20 people who bring their cats and their dogs," he said. "We've gotten a bunny or a hamster as well. This year, I'm hoping for a bigger turnout of people and their animals. I'm hoping for a horse or sheep or goats at this service. I'll take a giraffe if I can get one."

Holding the event at Cassell Farm rather than outside on the church grounds will provide room for a much larger gathering, Domines said, noting that the festivities will begin with a brief service at 4 p.m.

"We have an outdoor chapel there, and we'll do a reading from Scripture and a prayer," he explained. "We'll have Susquehanna Service Dogs there, and they'll introduce themselves and talk about what they do."

Representatives from Acorn Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation - both human and animal - will also be on-site.

"They are bringing a Virginia possum named Belvedere, along with Lily and Elliot, who are groundhogs, and Feisty the squirrel," Domines said.

After the ceremony, people will be invited to the on-site pavilion for food and fun.

"We'll have food for people and some food for the animals, too, like dog and cat treats," Domines said. "People will have a chance to pet the wildlife Acorn Acres is bringing, and we'll have crafts for kids to do."

Connor Chapman, who is a member of the congregation, will sing and entertain on the guitar.

Domines noted that the farm is a perfect location for a blessing of the animals event, because St. Francis embraced nature and ecology. The property has been part of the church since the early 1990s.

"Virginia Cassell was a member of our parish, and she left her estate to the church, which includes 26 acres of farmland in Mount Joy Township," Domines said. "It was her desire to keep it as a nature preserve."

In 2000, the church built a pavilion on the site, and an altar has been constructed as well. Weddings have been performed on the property, and the Elizabethtown Boys Club uses the baseball field on-site, while a variety of trails and a playground can be enjoyed by visitors.

Domines emphasized that people are invited to stay as long as they'd like at the event for fun and fellowship.

"I want people to come out, have a good time and spend time together," he said. "Even if you don't have a pet, if you love animals, come on out for St. Francis Day. Come out and celebrate with the community."

All types of pets are welcome, but they must be properly restrained. The grounds will open at 3 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.christlutheran-etown.com.