In early December 2011, a variety of people, including ranchers, farmers, motorcycle riders and city folk gathered at the Lewis Arriola Community Center to celebrate the areas second Cowboy Church gathering.
A row of heavy winter coats hung in the front hallway and a shelf was ready for visitors to hang their cowboy hats, motorcycle helmets or baseball caps. A wooden box rested on a table at the front of the community room for people who wanted to offer monetary donations for the groups growing cause, which is to establish a Four Corners area Cowboy Church.
Near the kitchen a stretch of dining tables was filled with visitors of all ages who were warming themselves from the cold by enjoying a potluck dinner that included coffee, soft drinks, hot soup, salad, cake, cookies and a number of other hearty dishes.
After the many-course meal was enjoyed by all, guests took a seat in front of a group of professional country-western musicians, Pastor Mark Baker, Donny Johnson, Tim Krebs and Matt Palmer, who started their performance by singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing and playing on a variety of string instruments.
Were gonna sing about Santa Claus tonight, hope you dont mind that too much, Baker said after tipping his black cowboy hat to the crowd and strumming his guitar. He encouraged the crowd to help him celebrate the joy of Christmas by singing along.
The foursome performed a variety of Christmas classics, including Silver Bells and more obscure tunes, such as Santa Claus and Popcorn.
The local Cowboy Church was established by Baker, a Baptist pastor in Cortez, and his wife, Roseanne Baker. Theyll be continuing the Cowboy Church gatherings this year with meetings on the first Monday of each month at the Lewis Arriola Community Center.
Pat Riley, a local rancher who attended both November and December meetings, said Cowboy Church is different because it doesnt have the same kind of politics and meetings that other churches typically have.
I pray on a regular basis, but Im not no Bible thumper by any means. And I just always have believed in God and in Jesus and going to church, he said.
Riley also appreciates the talented musicians who perform at Cowboy Churches all around the country.
Theres an awful lot of singin at Cowboy Church and usually half an hour of service for the pastor, he said in his unique style.
GETTING IT STARTED
Riley moved to the Cortez area in the summer of 2011 and had attended several Cowboy Church gatherings while he lived in Pueblo. He was disappointed to learn there was no Cowboy Church in Cortez or anywhere in Montezuma or Dolores counties.
There was no Cowboy Church, but theres so many cowboys here, he said.
So he and Baker rallied some of Bakers parish members and other friends to join the areas first Cowboy Church celebration in the first week of November.
Its important for me to come. It broke my heart not to see that many people here, Riley said of their first meeting.
But the Cowboy Churchs second meeting in December drew a much larger crowd.
We came because they told us thered be food, Lyman and Berney Clayton joked. The couple, who live in the city of Cortez, had heard there would be music similar to the kind played at Bar D Chuckwagon Supper, a dinner restaurant that offers family entertainment with a western music stage show in Durango.
A UNIQUE GATHERING
Members of Dorothys Christian Motorcyclists Association, such as Anthony Mayes and Marilynn Eastin, attended the Cowboy Church meeting to celebrate their Christian values with other like-minded souls.
And others like Mike Gasner, who says he is a cowboy in training, also joined in the celebration to share his Christian beliefs.
The most important thing is that they praise Jesus, Gasner said.
The local Cowboy Churchs Monday evening meetings are intended to help people who cant always attend church on Sundays, Roseanne Baker said.
And Mark (Baker) is punctual about the people who need to come for an hour and stop what theyre doing and lead busy lives, she said.
Riley is a real renaissance cowboy who raises cattle, cattle dogs and is also an electrician, construction worker and helped deliver all three of his children at home on his ranch.
Cowboy Church originally developed within the ranching community and from a group of people who celebrated their Christian beliefs with prayer and musical performances throughout the nations rodeo circuit, according to Riley, who attended Cowboy Church at rodeos throughout the west before he moved to Cortez.
There was probably 500 people listening to a Cowboy Church in Las Vegas on Sunday at the National Finals for Rodeo of the Year, or the Denver Stock Show in January and Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming. Its born out of the rural areas and ranches, he said.
Pastor Baker knew about Cowboy Church from having performed at several of their shows throughout the West and Midwest, including performances in Branson and Springfield, Mo.
Baker is a member of the Western Music Association and has even performed with the legendary Willie Nelson.
These Cowboy Churches can move around, theyre not limited to one place, Baker said. Weve played at community centers, barns it varies wherever people want to hold it.
Cowboy Churches have been meeting for about 15 years, Baker said.
Its kind of a phenomenon in the country, some areas its huge, Baker said. And theres a real simple type message in the way they do their ministry, and anybodys welcome.
Baker said the Cowboy Churchs mission statement is simple: Keeping church simple with family, Biblical values.
Families and people of all ages are invited to the next local Cowboy Church meeting in January at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at the Lewis Arriola Community Center.
You can come like this, all dirty, thats cool, you can do that, Riley said while wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans. The fact that Im in this chair, thats the only thing that matters.
Januarys Cowboy Church meeting is themed New Trails and will feature the Line Camp Riders performing a live comedy and Western music show. A chili supper will be served before the show at 6 p.m. at Lewis Arriola Community Center.
For more information, call Baker at 882-1433.
Reach Nathalie Winch at nathaliew@cortezjournal.com.