asked us to take our camera with us as we go about our daily business, looking for a sign or something else that makes us smile or captures our attention. When we've found it, snap a picture and share with other Fun Monday participants today.)
I spotted this sign for the Blue Grass Cowboy Church last Thursday as I was traveling on the Paris Pike between Lexington and Paris. This is a very scenic highway lined with old dry stone fences and miles of brown and white wooden fencing for the many thoroughbred horse farms on either side of Paris Pike. Wherever you look there are scenes worthy of a Kentucky tourism catalog--beautiful horses in the pastures, barns that would rival most of our homes. Scenes like this:
Central Kentucky ,or the Blue Grass Region, produces the foals that grow up to run and win the great races like the Kentucky Derby here in Louisville. The equine industry is the backbone of our state's agriculture and tourism. Many people are employed on these horse farms and related agriculture operations. A significant number of workers are Hispanic because of the skills they have in caring for, handling, and training the high strung thoroughbreds.
For a horse-centered town like Paris, KY to have a Blue Grass Cowboy Church isn't surprising, if you think about it.
When immigrants settle in an area, many community organizations make the effort to serve their need for belonging. Churches would be interested in that role certainly. Many Hispanics work on the horse farms for years, living apart from their families.So, the cowboy church invitation is to "Come as you are, boots and hats are welcome, and share in a night of down home country worship centered on the New Testament with live Bluegrass Gospel music and fellowship with folks who like the cowboy culture." Something for everyone--even church services at a stockyard.
Now if you're curious about what other Fun Monday participants have spotted on their daily rounds, head over to Sayre Smiles to check them out.
that horse over the fence picture is really pretty.
ReplyDeleteand i love the idea of going from lexington to paris!
i'm skipping fun monday for a couple of weeks, but i'll be back....
Now thats a true "local" church, a great glimpse of Kentucky too.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Cowboy Church in these parts (NE Texas). They just dropped the Blue Grass part!
ReplyDeleteI love your pictures.
how wonderful!! I love your pictures, I would like to visit Kentucky some day!!
ReplyDeleteWell I have certainly never seen a Cowboy church! Pretty neat sign.
ReplyDeleteCowboy Church, huh? This is a phenomenon that I am unfamiliar with. It sounds great! Love the sign!!!
ReplyDeleteWhile I've never attended a Cowboy church, my daughter took riding instruction for a few years from a guy who pastored one (in his barn, no less :) ). He loved knowing some people worshiped there who wouldn't set foot in a traditional church.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you have some breath-taking views along the way...ours really don't compare unless we go off the beaten path.
Thanks for visiting my FM post! :)
Robin @ PENSIEVE
Beautiful pictures! Love the name of the church.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. I'd totally go to Church if there were horses there.
ReplyDeleteI think that is actually a great idea :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea :) My church is fairly come-as-you-are but would probably look at you strangely if you brought a horse...
ReplyDeleteSarah
OOHH i lvoe the horses over the fence! so pretty!!! And the church one ? never seen might like to go!!
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the horse leaning over the fence is wonderful. Just great.
ReplyDeleteAnd the church sounds very welcoming. That's really nice.
Blue Grass Cowboy Church?! Wow.
ReplyDeleteThe horse with the snow is just beautiful.
Lisa
What a great post! Your photos are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteMy younger brother has lived in Lexington, KY for close to 10 years. It's so incredibly beautiful up there. I've never been to Louisville on any of my trips to visit him though. I started to add a photo I took when I was in Lexington this past October to my post for today but I refrained. It's one of the funniest signs I've ever seen.
That's great and I'm sure the church meets the needs of a lot of workers and the community. Love the photos. Have a fun Monday...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picture of the horses. Being from Oklahoma, the idea of boots and hats in church isn't a new one for more. Still a cute sign, though.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I love when I get to visit Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great horse picture!
ReplyDeletenikki
Wonderful choices! I'll be as happy as those horses to see some of that bluegrass and get rid of the snow...
ReplyDeleteEvery church should be come as you are, yes?
Patience
That is a funny sign, but I think it's a great idea for cowhands!
ReplyDeleteYour horse photo is really beautiful!
Interesting story and a great picture! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are fab, and that church sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteSeeing horses along the way would be devine!
ReplyDeletepretty horsie!!!
ReplyDeleteinteresting story. thanks for sharing.
That horse picture is gorgeous! I'm a horse freak so I love that one especially!
ReplyDeleteWell those signs made me smile:-)
ReplyDeleteI love that there's even a place called Paris in Kentucky!
Fab photos:-)
I wonder if the pews are spaced farther apart to accommodate long, cowboy legs?
ReplyDeleteLove the horses photo! Lots of them around where we live too, but they look much prettier in the snow :o)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the wonderful write up about our sign. I just discovered your website when searching for a newspaper article on the Church. If anyone would like more information about the Blue Grass Cowboy Church they can contact Cowboy Missionary Pastor Dewayne Waldrup at 859-274-3575 or look us up at www.cowboycn.org. We have service at 7:00 pm on Tuesday nights at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds off Hwy 68 in Paris. Everyone is welcomed.
ReplyDelete"Pastor" Dewayne Waldrup and his wife Donna give Christians a horrible name. We rented from them and my husband lost his job. Consequently we couldn't pay rent and were evicted, which I understand. The bad part however, came when they gave us one day to get our things, on this day we had only a small open bed pick up and it was raining. By law you have 14 days, after which the landlord must keep your things and give you 60 days to claim them. We have no idea where a lifetime of memories are at this point.My husband doesn't even have a picture of his mother any more! The Waldrups will not return calls from us or from our attorney. Are these really people that should be leading a church? I am a member of BBC in NC and we have a plant church called the Cowboy Church I did check and thank goodness it is in no way associated with the Waldrups.
ReplyDelete