The Blessing of the Animals

In the town of Normal, Pennsylvania, there’s a little green church at the corner of Wilson and Elm…

So begins each story of the misadventures of the congregation, clergy, and staff of a small town church. The tales collected in “The Blessing of the Animals” begin with the story of how an ornery gerbil upended a whimsical annual tradition. They continue with Pastor O’Donnell’s poorly thought-out attempts to bring spiritual enlightenment to his flock through technology in “A/V” and “Video Game Ministry.” Other stories tell of the romantic misadventures of the pastor’s teenage daughter, Katie, and the dutiful work of church secretary Tammy Billings and her husband, Ralph, the unofficial church handyman… work which is not always appreciated by those who benefit from it. You’ll also hear about the church’s new softball team, The Miracles, whose athletic abilities and teamwork sometimes leave much to be desired… but occasionally live up to their name.

No matter what religion or denomination you are, if you attend a place of worship, you’ll undoubtedly find many of the people and events at the Little Green Church in Normal, Pennsylvania, painfully – and hilariously – familiar.