Services at the Branded Cowboy Church include bluegrass, horses, and of course, Scripture
Horace Hudson hosted “Western weekends'' for more than 20 years on his Double H Ranch on Beaverdam Road in Smithonia after retiring as a UGA professor and rodeo team coach in 2005.
The weekends would feature team roping competitions, horseback riding, kid events, cowboy poetry and a Sunday morning church service around a campfire.
After years of talking about starting their own cowboy church, Hudson and some friends decided to do it about four years ago.
“The concept of the cowboy church has been in existence for well over 25 years,” Hudson said. “It’s a totally unique concept that I wanted to try myself.”
The Branded Cowboy Church is held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. once a month. Hudson said they aim to meet the first Sunday of each month, but they may move dates around. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 7 and more information can be found on Facebook at @brandedcowboychurchga.
Hudson and his team believe that going to church once a month is better than not going to church at all. It’s about balance.
“We find that a lot of people are just looking for a church where they can come in and listen to biblical messages,” he said.
Participants enjoy the more laid-back environment the Branded Cowboy Church offers. With no dress-code, no membership and a relaxed structure, the services are welcoming to all participants who wish to grow their relationship with God and their community.
“Horace and his wife Marcie are just delightful, they opened up their farm to everyone,” said Julia Highsmith, a friend for nine years who has been on the church leadership team since the beginning.
Services are held in Hudson’s car barn, where he has spent the past five years working on antique cars. The barn has eight big doors and big fans, which provide a pleasant environment for indoor services.
Volunteers set up folding chairs, an altar and a podium with hay bales on each side. On nice spring and fall days, Highsmith said, they’ll move the service outside by the campfire.
“You don’t have to have a church to do a worship service,” Hudson said. “You can do it at a campfire or a barn or rodeo arena.”
The cowboy church typically brings in around 55-60 people, but they’ve had as many as 90. On special occasions, Highsmith said, they’ll have horse demonstrations and drill teams perform.
Highsmith organizes all the horse activities. She said they have to be careful since the services are held on a private ranch, but they try to incorporate horses when they can.
“It's sort of an invitational sort of thing,” Highsmith explained.
Special occasions have included a Memorial Day service, when the church brought in a mounted honor guard demonstration with patriotic music, and an Easter sunrise service, which invited anyone with horses to bring theirs.
Every service starts with their bluegrass band, called the Branded Cowboy Church Wranglers, playing a hymn.
Jim Kitchens, who plays the guitar, ukulele and banjo, said the band welcomes anyone who plays an instrument to join practices and play during services.
“We play the traditional hymns you’ll find in any Christian programs,” he said, “but there are no rules.”
Following the prelude, volunteers welcome participants and make announcements, call to worship and read 3-4 Scriptures pertaining to the theme. The theme usually coincides with any holidays or events happening in the month, Highsmith said.
The church is all volunteer-based and led, but they will often bring in guest speakers and pastors. The services also include a children’s church.
The church’s food committee puts together a breakfast or lunch, which encourages participants to stay to congregate and enjoy the meal together. Activities generally conclude around noon.
Hudson said his best memories stem from new participants joining, witnessing the cowboy church and hearing testimonies from people who have found a relationship with God through the services.
“In addition to being Christian-based, we are also military-based and American,” Hudson said. “Those core values are very much part of the rodeo tradition.”