Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
For 14 months, scruffy, four-legged pets were welcome at a central Omaha church's Thursday prayer service.
Underwood Hills Presbyterian Church started Paws and Prayers in December 2008, but low attendance has put the program on hold. The last dog-friendly service was Jan. 21.
At its prime, 50 pooches attended, said Underwood Hills Pastor Becky Balestri. Now it averages about nine.
Balestri plans to meet with members to discuss whether the church should continue the pet-centric services.
“We might look at having a monthly or bimonthly service,” she said. “Or we might not.”
The dog service wasn't a stunt to build church attendance, members said. Instead, the church recognized the emotional bond between people and their pets. Several Omaha-area churches offer animal blessings. The Thursday night hymns sung — and howled — at Underwood Hills were an extension of that.
Paws and Prayers offered a condensed version of the previous Sunday's service. All breeds, as long as they were leashed, were welcomed. Ushers handed out rugs for the dogs. Tags and collars jingled as worshippers drifted to pews.
Dogs took part in the service. When the collection basket was passed around, they accepted dog treats as offerings. After the service, pups and people mingled.
Dogs — apart from service animals — at church services still appear to be unusual. A few have popped up in Chicago, Texas, Massachusetts and Los Angeles.
Contact the writer:
444-1075, j.loza@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
