Cimarron, NM, has to be one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. Rev. Matthew Gary and his wife were great hosts. One of our great adventures we enjoyed was when the director of Philmont and his wife took us, along with Gary and his wife Pam, on a day trip through Philmont Scout ranch. We saw incredible beauty and heard the history of the area.
Cimarron United Methodist Church is at the doorway to the Sangre de Christo Mountains of northern New Mexico. On the edge of the New Mexico Highlands and at the base of the mountains, Cimarron River flows through their community. Rich in history as a stop on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail, and the headquarters of the Maxwell Land Grant, Methodist Circuit Riders were serving Cimarron as early as 1869.
This congregation hosts many visiting church groups visiting ski areas during the winter, and the mountain playgrounds during the summer. They also host many Boy Scout troops that are coming or leaving from nearby Philmont Scout Ranch.
Grand vistas were easy on the eyes.
Buffalo were at “home on the range”. Incredible animals. We also saw elk, deer, turkey, horses and burros. We were happy we did NOT see snakes, bears, and mountain lions.
The mountains were so majestic!
I had the privilege of speaking to K-12 in an assembly while I was there. They really related to the storytelling.
Jonah was a big hit. The storytelling is being well received wherever we go.
I thought this boy was going to fall off the pew. He was really enjoying himself.
Let me tell you about the 4 pictures above. I was about to begin telling the evening story when I heard the sound of children’s feet coming up the aisle. I looked up and the entire area in the front of the sanctuary was filled with boys and girls perched in various positions. Those children sat there motionless and listened intently to the story. This scene was repeated the next night as well.
The best part is when they find their way to the altar when the story is over.
BibleQuest was a lot of fun. The boys and girls were very faithful in attending and had great fun.
Here are the BibleQuest medal winners. All the kids did great! Rev. Matthew Gary and our BibleQuest coordinator, Pam Gary, are standing behind the kids.
On the last night, one of the children shouted out, “When can they come back?”
Gotta love it!
Thanks to Rev. Matthew Gary and all those who worked on the preparation. All the hard work paid off.