On Friday night, July 20 the air was thick and humid out at the Angleton Fairground arena. Horses and riders endured the heat to have a chance to participate in "The Gathering."

Pastor Brad Dubose of Central Assembly of God in Angleton gave a new perspective to folks about God that night. Pastor DuBose has been preaching since 1983 and his wife Tammy is a hospice chaplain. Brad and Tammy have been on the road as evangelists since 1983, traveling with a round pen and young horses, ministering the word of God through "Cowboy Church.” They came to Angleton in April of 2006 to fill in temporarily until the church could find a permanent preacher. They say they fell in love with the congregation and decided to stay.

DuBose uses horses to relate to people about trust, forgiveness and kindness. The concept of "The Gathering" is to join people together with their horses, using an obstacle course set up in the arena. Pastor DuBose relates the mistrust and fear a horse experiences when first approaching an obstacle they've never seen, such as a tunnel made of tarps, three-tiered stairs, or a water-filled box that they have to walk through, to our own mistrust and fear of obstacles we encounter in our own lives. He preaches about the importance of trust, as the horses learn to trust their rider, and people learn to trust God, they encounter each obstacle together, overcome it and go on to the next.

"The Gathering" course is similar to the timed course riders encounter on "The Extreme Cowboy Race" shown on CMT. Over 50 horses and riders participated in this first time "practice" run of the obstacle course. The real competition will be Friday, August 17 at 7 p.m. at the fairground arena.

Members of the Central Assembly of God in Angleton donated their time to put on the event, which was entirely free to everyone. Riders and audience members were treated to barbecue, a live band and an enjoyable evening of fellowship, education and excitement.

Donna Isenhower

Angleton