Tuesday, January 14, 2025
SPRINGTOWN —The Western Star Cowboy Church is set to host its fifth annual western Christmas-themed event this Sunday off County Road 3696. The objective is to celebrate the story of Christ and the event has become a memorable event for the cowboy community.
The event, created by horse rider Renee Loper, is about a maze designed to narrate the story of Jesus Christ’s birth, ending in a live nativity scene. Nita King is the activities coordinator who helps construct the entirety of the event.
“She (Renee) had this mission that she wanted to construct a maze that told the story of Christ,” King said. “And at each turn of the maze, that's what this is. It is you walk the maze and it is the story of Christ. And the at the end of the maze is the live nativity.”
This Christmas event shows the church’s commitment to the community. Although it's organized by the Western Star Cowboy Church, the goal is to share the story of Christ rather than solely promoting the church.
“This event is about more than just our church,” King said. “It’s about fellowship, family and sharing the story of Christ.”
The event will have a range of activities for people of all ages. King has organized games such as a "cake walk," now known as musical chairs, for the kids by using saddles instead of chairs. There will be scavenger hunts using tokens, face painting and other cowboy-themed activities.
For all the horse owners in Springtown, this event is also catered to them as well.
“The (way the) first two hours are designed, we have it set up for people that have horses,” King said. “They can bring their horses and they go through an obstacle course. And they can also go through the maze. We set it up to where it's horse friendly.”
The time slot for horses will be from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
This western event will also have a hayride across the church’s seven-acre property and the church’s brand-new cafe that will have baked goods and free refreshments.
“We want people to feel the spirit of Christ through this event,” King said. “It’s about coming together in fellowship, whether you’re a member of our church or not. It’s not about the number of people who come, it’s about the impact it has on their hearts.”
Despite the challenges from the pandemic, the Western Star Cowboy Church has continued to grow under the leadership of Pastor Bobby Bowden. Bowden is known as the “miracle man” for his perseverance in battling cancer. Bowden was also a founding member of the church in 2010.
And when the holidays are over, this church is already thinking about how to top it next year.
“We started putting things into action in October,” King said. “But for the most part, we start thinking about next year as soon as this one's over and we get it cleaned up.”
The fifth annual Christmas Maze will be held Dec. 15 with free admission. For more information, go to www.westernstarcowboychurch.com or visit its Facebook page.
