REFZ opens for business
Presbyterians bless Arena of Life Church with building
An historic church building will begin a new chapter this Sunday when the Arena of Life Cowboy Church holds its grand opening in the former First Presbyterian Church at Fourth and Parks this Sunday, November 5, at 10:30 a.m.
With their congregation dwindling, Presbyterians recently made the decision to disband and donate their 1929 building to the Cowboy Church.
“I was surprised but extra excited,” Cowboy Church Pastor Bunk Skelton said of his reaction to the offer by Presbyterian Pastor Nancy Ruff. “I’m not one to all at once get real gung-ho about something, so I asked for time with the Lord. But the more I sought the Lord, the more I thought we couldn’t say no.”
Ruff said the Presbyterian congregation had just gotten to a point to where it was no longer viable to continue, but they had hope that they could bless another church.
“It’s not easy to close a church,” Ruff said. “But in dealing with those emotions of closing our church, we are richly blessed that God gave us the opportunity to give our building to the Arena of Life Cowboy Church. We are so excited to be a part of God’s blessing. We’re really thrilled they accepted our offer and that our legacy will continue.”
While the Presbyterian Church had a long history in Clarendon dating back to 1899, the Cowboy Church is relatively new for the community. It was founded January 5, 2013, and moved into the former Eads’ Furniture building on Kearney Street in May of 2014. Since that time, the church has been dreaming of building their own church and has even had six acres donated to it east of town on US 287.
“We’re not trashing the idea of our own new building,” Skelton said. “We’re still working toward that. This will just make it easier as we can put our lease payments into our building fund now.”
Speaking of renting their previous location, the pastor had kind words for their landlord there, saying Virginia Patten had been extremely good to the church through the years.
Skelton said his congregation first thought of making changes to the Presbyterian building but changed their minds.
“The first impulse was to make changes to make it fit us,” he said, “but then we didn’t really want to. We just make small changes to make it work for us, which mostly has amounted to running some electricity.”
The new owners are also opening up previously covered over windows on the front doors of the Presbyterian building.
The Cowboy Church held its first services in the building last Sunday, October 29, but it’s official grand opening is this weekend.
“We’re very, very excited and grateful and thankful that they have allowed us to carry on the ministry of the gospel in this church,” Skelton said.
The Presbyterian building will give the Cowboy Church more room and allow it to offer more Sunday school classes. The church has been having its youth meetings on Wednesday nights and its adult Bible study on Thursday nights, but now those activities will both be held on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m.
Skelton is inviting the community to join them as they celebrate the new location of the Cowboy Church this weekend with Sunday School at 9:30 and the service at 10:30.
Also, the Presbyterians are not completely gone from the building. Ruff said Skelton is allowing her to continue her women’s Bible study in the building. It’s a testimony to how close the community of faith is in Clarendon.
“We’re in a super good community,” Skelton said. “When He calls you to a place, He provides for you; and we’ve seen that over and over.”
Cummins runs her way to state
By Sandy Anderberg
Tandie Cummins has been running strong all year. The Regional Meet at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock was no different as Cummins finished 17th with a time of 13:30 for the two-mile course our of 165 runners, that was only 30 seconds off the winning time.
She will run in Round Rock at the Old Steeler Park November 4.
Six other Lady Broncos ran in the meet and turned in solid times. Berkey Moore ran 32nd at 13:52.80 and Gracie Ellis was 39th with a time of 14:05.10. Madi Benson, who has been running with an injury, was 71st at 14:33.80 and Presley Smith was 81st with a finishing time of 14:50.60. Kennadie Cummins ran 89th at 14:59.50 and Kashlyn Conkin had a time of 16:15.80 for 140th place.
Bryce Williams and Brice Wagner ran the 5K race in the meet and Wagner finished 45th with a time of 19:20.40. Williams, who has been running great his entire CC career, suffered from dehydration and could not finish the race.
Good luck to Tandie as she travels to Round Rock to run in the State Cross-Country Meet.
Broncos steamroll Irish 58-6
By Sandy Anderberg
The Broncos have been unstoppable in District play and are currently 4-0 as they prepare for their District closer at Wellington on Friday.
The Broncos and Skyrockets are 6-3 and 7-2 overall for the 2023 football season. Friday night’s game will determine the number one seed in post-season play. Kickoff will be at 7:00pm.
The Broncos crushed Shamrock last week 58-6. Quay Brown set the tempo of the game with a huge 75-yard kick-off return to open the game and Easton Frausto converted the bonus to give the Broncos the lead at 8-0 at the 11:47 mark. Senior quarterback Lyric Smith who has been at the helm since Harrison Howard’s collar bone injury ran for an eight-yard TD for the Broncos’ second score of the game after he intercepted an Irish pass to put the Broncos back on offense. Mason Sims earned the bonus to go up by 16.
The Bronco defensive line was a stumbling block for the Irish and made great plays deep in Shamrock’s backfield and on the passing routes. As a team, the Broncos intercepted six Shamrock passes and Smith and Sims grabbed two apiece and each took one back for six. Grant Haynes stole an interception and lineman Anthony Ceniceros batted down and caught and interception near the line.
Offensively, the Broncos pass receivers did a great job putting their hands on the ball. Sims had two catches for 63 yards and Colton Caudle posted 143 yards on his two catches for two touchdowns. Sims also carried the ball for 61 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. Smith was seven for fifteen passing for 233 yards and carried the ball eight times for 90 yards and found the endzone two times on the ground.
The Broncos have blown through their opponents and have laid it all on the line to go into the playoff season with great momentum.
The game with Wellington is crucial for seeding, but the Broncos’ plan is go deep in post-season play.
Chamber Employee of the Month
Color blast
DCCF now taking grant applications
The Donley County Community Fund is now accepting applications from qualified non-profit organizations for up to $1,500 grant to be awarded this fall.
Those eligible to apply for the grants include local governments, schools, and non-profit organizations holding a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service. All grant applicants must be from Donley County.
Grant applications for any amount up to $1,500 must be received by Friday, November 24, at 5 p.m..
To receive a grant application and determine your organization’s eligibility to apply, contact Jacob Fangman 806-206-5737 or jacobfangman@yahoo.com. Applications are available from Fangman at Herring Bank or at the Clarendon Visitor Center.
The Donley County Community Fund is an affiliate fund of the Amarillo Area Foundation (AAF) with the focus of building an Endowed Legacy for the entire county for the benefit of future generations.
Turn the beat around
Election to decide 14 ballot proposals
Donley County voter will join other Texans next Tuesday, November 7, in deciding the fate of 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution.
Early voting concludes this Friday at the Donley County Courthouse Annex with extended hours 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
Voting on Tuesday will also be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Donley County voters in Precinct 303 will cast ballots at the First Baptist Church in Hedley, Precinct 101 votes at the Annex, and all other county voters cast ballots in the Courthouse.
The proposed amendments are also explained by the Texas Tribune at https://bit.ly/3FGW15M.
According to the Tribune, “many of the proposed amendments would create or alter funds to support: Higher education research, Water infrastructure, Gas-fueled power plants, Broadband infrastructure, Maintenance and creation of state parks.
“Several others would address taxes by: Raising the homestead exemption for homeowners from $40,000 to $100,000, Creating some tax exemptions for medical equipment and child-care facilities, Banning lawmakers from imposing “wealth taxes” without voter approval.
“Other amendments would affect Texans in certain professions by: Granting retired teachers cost-of-living raises, Raising the mandatory retirement age for state judges, Protecting generally accepted farming and ranching practices from state and local regulation.”
Brent Paul Shields
Brent Paul Shields of Clarendon, Texas, passed away Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Amarillo, Texas.
A private family memorial and celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choosing.
Cremation and Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Brent was born in June 7, 1966, to Jerry and JoAnn Shields. He went to school in Memphis and spent much of his young adult life in Amarillo. He enjoyed his later years as a resident of Clarendon.
Brent was an amazing cook. He had owned and worked in restaurants for many years. If you ever tasted his “famous” chocolate pie you would definitely want more. His sharing attitude and desire to help people will be missed.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Shields; step-father, C.D. Dickens; his paternal grandparents, Colman Shields and Vida Shields; step grandmother, Sadie Shields; maternal grandparents, Joseph Stanley and Cellie Koen; step grandfather D. B. Koen, as well as several aunts, uncles, and great grandparents.
Survivors include his mother, JoAnn Dickens; brother, Todd Shields; son, Spencer Shields and wife Kaitlynn; grandson, Hunter Shields, who was one of his greatest joys, all of Clarendon; stepson, Scott Knox and wife Stacy; grandchildren, Libby and Nicholas Knox, all of Cleburne, Texas; several uncles, aunts and cousins; his best friend and the mother of his son, Kathy Shields.
All of Clarendon was like family to Brent, and he had many, many friends and acquaintances who will miss him dearly.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
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