NORWICH – The Norwich ministerium, representing the Broad Street United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Christ Lutheran, First Baptist and Emmanuel Episcopal churches, will hold its first-ever Blessing of the Animals with a special service beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday in West Park.

The service is open to the entire community, said organizers, and will include a brief reading of scripture and the Bible, as well as a period of prayer, followed by the blessing itself. Animals of all kinds are welcome – big, small and in between – as long as they are properly leashed and/or crated, including livestock.