Pinal County pastor leads in the 'cowboy way’

CASA GRANDE - The cowboy way of life. Laid back, informal, open and fun. Pastor Morris Pruit started Pinal County Cowboy Church, north of Casa Grande, about two years ago and is now actively involved in the community all the while trying to attract new people to his Tuesday night service.

“It’s not just cowboys who come here. I would say half of the people have nothing to do with the cowboy industry,” he said. “They just like that we are laid back and comfortable.

“Cowboy is a frame of mind over an attitude.”

The church organizes two monthly community outreach events.

Family Fun Day features cowboy coffee and donuts for breakfast, plus a free lunch. Pony rides, dummy roping, horseshoes and barrel rolls are part of the fun. Family Fun Days are held the second Saturday of each month. In addition, the church hosts a barrel racing event the fourth Saturday of the month.

These monthly meetings, while a lot of work, are done to promote the church and to remind people in the neighborhood and throughout Casa Grande that the church is there and is open to new members.

He said more than 150 people came to the last team roping day, from as far away as Tucson, Queen Creek, Arizona City and Coolidge.

What will Pruit do once the cowboy church outgrows its current space?

“We’ll just add a second service,” he said, adding he doesn’t plan on moving facilities or adding on.

Pruit says everyone is welcome to his church.

“Most churches are fairly formal,” he said. “But a lot of the people here are coming straight from work. We don’t care if you have grease on your clothes or dirt on your knees. Everybody is welcome.”

Every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. the Cowboy Church holds a worship service. Thirty minutes prior, a parishioner makes dinner and people are able to gather for fellowship and friendship.

Jumper and Mary Simmons prepare the weekly meals. One week the couple made macaroni and cheese with ground beef, peppers, tomatoes and onions and a chocolate cookie pie for dessert.

Cowboy Church is a family affair for the Pruit family. Wife Carol performs all the church secretarial work and she handles child care during the service.

Pruit, who was a pastor in a traditional church in Texas for many years, said he loves the Cowboy Church.

“I grew up in the cowboy culture. My daddy was a working cowboy and my childhood was spent outside on horses,” he said. “The Cowboy Church is the best part of the business.”

Pruit said he wants both of the monthly outreach events to grow and to include more people each time they’re held. He said organizing the events takes many hours, but seeing community members laughing and enjoying themselves is worth all the effort.