COCHRANE, Alta. – The Cowboy Trail Church at Cochrane may be one of the few places of worship where members must arrive early to get a parking space.
After three years of operation, the unique interdenominational church is attracting increasing numbers of worshippers at a time when church attendance is falling across Canada.
Held at the Cochrane Ranche House on Highway 22, members and newcomers are treated to a handshake at the door, western swing-bluegrass gospels and a short sermon full of colloquialism and humour from lay preacher Bryn Thiessen, who has been leading services for more than 20 years.
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“My preaching style is I am a preacher and a teacher,” said Thiessen, who sports an impressive cowboy moustache, 10 gallon hat and wild coloured shirts.
The dress code is blue jeans and cowboy hats for the Tuesday night meeting that encourages a casual, friendly atmosphere.
The church is affiliated with the Canadian convention of Southern Baptists but it is run as interdenominational and has a registered charity number.
“People don’t have to be members here. We are set up in the New Testament model where the leadership team is a board,” said Thiessen, who ranches near Sundre and performs as a cowboy poet.
With guidance from theologian Mike McGough of Florida, the concept of a special church for ranchers grew out of cowboy poetry gatherings where Sunday services were offered. It was also recognized people on the land may not be able to get to Sunday services but still want a place to learn and pray.
Cowboy churches are open in the United States and a new one, Clearwater Cowboy Church has started near Caroline, Alta.
It runs on Thursday evenings. Others meet every other week at Stettler and Elnora, Alta. Two were started in British Columbia.
“There are a lot more than people realize but they are not all connected,” said Thiessen.
Relationships with local churches are solid and the option of the Cochrane service is mentioned in their bulletins so people affiliated to a traditional church may join as well.
For their first meeting Thiessen expected 50 people. About 150 showed up and attendance has swelled to more than 200 most nights.
The hall at the ranch house is almost too small so a new church in another community may be considered since some people are travelling 80 kilo-metres to attend.
Bad weather, calving season or vacation time does not seem to affect attendance.
“We pick up in summer when most churches drop off,” he said.
When the church opened, children were welcome because there is no Sunday school, although there is a nursery run by volunteers. Thiessen dismissed early concerns about antsy children during the service.
“If you are boring a kid, you’ll bore adults,” Thiessen said.
Marriages, baptisms and funerals are also performed. There is no passing of the collection plate. Instead people may drop off donations in one of two wooden cowboy boots at the door. Bureaucracy is kept to a minimum.
“The people want to come and worship, be taught and share fellowship. They don’t want a lot of programs so we didn’t create any programs. As the need arises, we’ll address it,” he said.
Any activities offered come from volunteers within the congregation if someone is interested in planning an event.
The hour-long service starts with the worship team asking who is a first-time visitor. The church has become something of a tourist attraction along the Cowboy Trail and people report coming from Calgary and Cochrane, but also as far away as England. Each service is recorded and made available on the internet or on a DVD containing four to five taped services.
Country style gospel singing from the Southern Baptist hymnal is accompanied with steel guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass and singers.
“The congregation is the choir,” he said.
Thiessen then handles the “chores” or announcements that include everything from mentioning a church activity to requests from the members to help with a barn raising or finding a parishioner a new home.
The special feature may be a testimony, guest speaker or music followed by a hats-off prayer and a short reading of the scriptures that ties in with Thiessen’s message for the evening.
“The messages are short and understandable,” he said.
The evening ends with singing of the Cowboy Blessing and refreshments and a cleanup of the hall.
Starting a cowboy church takes commitment from the community. The Cochrane based group has created a manual for establishment and legal incorporation. It covers basic outlines for a local community, lists job descriptions and miscellaneous tips to make it work.
“You need about six key people in your community and you need to do some ground work with events,” said Thiessen.
Events may include dog trials, gymkhanas, Christmas caroling or other rural based activities to draw interest.
“The things we do for a living, we do for fun. People will come to that who won’t come to church,” he said.
