Cowboy Church #33

Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.

We begin our music selection with The Monroe Brothers' 1936 recording of What Would You Give in Exchange For Your Soul? This gospel tune was one of the Monroe Brothers' biggest money makers and it is easy to see why. Next comes Gillian Welch and David Rawlings with the southern gospel classic, I'll Fly Away. Gillian's voice is at its most beautiful and David Rawlings' guitar playing is as incredible as ever. Plus the two are obviously having a great time performing this song, so we should have a great time listening. Next comes Pasty Cline with her 1958 recording of Dear God. Playing steel guitar on this song was the one and only Don Helms, who had been part of Hank Williams' backing band, the drifting cowboys. His haunting steel guitar really helps make this recording. We continue with their 1934 recording of Open Up Them Pearly Gates. Like many of the early Sons of the Pioneers gospel songs, this tune combines the gospel message with a good sense of humor. This period of the Sons of the Pioneers includes my favorite line up for the group, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Roy Rogers (at that time Leonard Slye) and Hugh Farr. Next comes the Hee Haw Gospel Quartet (Buck Owens, Grandpa Jones, Roy Clark, Kenny Price) with Camping in Canaan's Land on a 1983 episode of Hee Haw. Following is The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings) with Kris' own Why Me Lord. We end with a very personal song from The Queen of the West, Dale Evans. This song was written by Dale herself for a daughter her and her husband Roy Rogers had with downs syndrome and various physical problems. Young Robin died before reaching her second birthday. This song is called Angel Unaware and Dale also wrote a book dedicated to Robin with the same name. Dale and Roy were strong Christians and their faith was a great comfort to them after Robin's death. Still they believed that Robin was a blessing from God that they were blessed to have even for a short time.



















For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek_{^{. Romans 1:16}}I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

 Now therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. John 4:9-12

Thaks for joining me for this week's Cowboy Church. Come back next week for another service. Happy trails to you until we meet again.





-Michael J. Ruhland