The public is invited to join members of Christ the King Lutheran Church and The K-9 Comfort Dogs of Lutheran Church Charities for a program at the church on Friday, October 25.

The K-9 Comfort Dogs of Lutheran Church Charities have brought great hope and comfort to many in Newtown and in Fairfield County and beyond in recent years. Nine of the group’s dogs — Abraham, Addie, Amos, Kezia, Leah, Lily, Lydia, Maggie, and Obadiah — will be at the church that evening.

Four of the dogs present (Addie, Leah, Lydia, and Maggie) are also featured in a new book by John Schlimm, with photographs by Liz Stavrinides, called Extraordinary Dogs: Stories from Search and Rescue Dogs, Comfort Dogs, and Other Canine Heroes. Scheduled for publication on October 22 by St Martin’s Press, the photo book honors the work of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs as well as search and rescue dogs, bomb detecting TSA dogs, and canine ambassadors from across the county.

Mr Schlimm is also planning on participating in the Meet & Greet event, and copies of Extraordinary Dogs will be available for purchase.

Partial proceeds from each book sold that evening will be donated to the ministries of the nine LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs.

The program will run from 6:30 to 8 pm.

There is no charge, but reservations are requested and can be done through eventbrite at luthcc.org/ctk-meet-and-greet.

Christ the King Lutheran Church is at 85 Mt Pleasant Road.