Blessing of the Backpacks and the Animals

Sunday, August 25th
The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1
A new school year is right around the corner, and what better way to prepare than having Blessing of the Backpacks and Animals. Join us on Sunday, August 25th for our outdoor worship at 10am (weather permitting). Bring your fury friend and/or your backpack to receive a blessing.

The fall is full of new opportunities, like starting a new school, or having a new teacher, or maybe starting a new job or settling into new routines after summer. Whatever this new season of life brings you know that God is always with you. I saw a saying recently that says you can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails. Meaning that you can’t control everything that happens in life, but you can control how you react to those events.

God of all wisdom and knowledge bless and guide us through this new season of life.  

Join us Sunday, August 25 as we offering blessings for the start of the school year, for our pets and all creation.

8:30 AM – Worship in the Sanctuary
10:00 AM Worship outside welcoming our pets to join and receive a blessing.

Let us extend our blessings to our neighbors by supporting VEAP, the Twin Cities’ largest food pantry, providing access to healthy foods (for both humans and pets), social services, and financial assistance. They also do a collection every year for school supplies. See the list below and prayerfully consider bringing a donation to share. 

Food Pantries list of most needed items:

• Dog and cat food (particularly wet food, treats, litter, etc.)
• Whole grain rice (1-2 pound bags)
• Whole grain pasta
• Hearty soups (high protein, low sodium)
• Whole grain cereal (like Shredded Wheat, Kashi, bran cereals, Chex, etc.)
• Canned proteins (meat and beans)
• Canned fruit and vegetables
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Diapers (all sizes) and baby wipes
• Cooking oil
• Coffee
• Baking essentials (flour, sugar, spices, baking soda/powder)
• Laundry detergent
• Dish soap
• Personal care items (shampoo, toothpaste, hand soap, shaving cream, toiletries, etc.)
• Gluten-free products (whole grains like brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, cornmeal; nut flours and butters; rice crackers, GF snacks, etc. Check for gluten-free product label.)
• Birthday candles, cake frosting, birthday-themed napkins/plates, cake mix, small birthday party favors like chalk, bubbles or bags of balloons
• Paper bags and re-usable, cloth totes (We’ll always take your extra paper grocery bags. We are not accepting plastic bag or totes donations).

​School supplies most needed: (Please make sure all items are new.)

• Backpacks
• Scientific calculators
• Wireless headphones/earbuds

(These three are high-demand items and the most impactful as they’re the most expensive for families to purchase on their own.)

Traditional supplies requested:

• Spiral notebooks
• Crayons
• Washable markers


For more information go to: VEAP.ORG