A group of missionaries from Texas traveling through the area stopped in to paint the Cortez Nazarene Church this week as part of their effort to help churches in the region.
Vicki and Robert McAnally, youth leaders from the Baytown First Church of the Nazarene, have been leading missionary trips to other Nazarene churches for years.
The McAnallys started doing missions trips to other churches, in part, to help expand their students’ vision beyond their small local group. The Baytown church draws about 100 people on a Sunday.
“We wanted to go bless these other churches,” Vicki McAnally said.
While in Cortez, the group spent two days painting the exterior of the church, the shutters, the shed and cleaned, among other tasks.
Ron Tryon, a board member with Cortez church, came out to help the group paint Tuesday and was happy to complete projects that the church has wanted to do for a while.
“It good to know some people from other churches are willing to come,” he said.
At the Farmington Church of the Nazarene, the group planned to paint, weed and work on fencing at church’s school. During the trip, the group also tried to do a bit of good at all Nazarene churches they hosted them along the way.
Baytown Pastor Josh True said the mission work was all about living out Mark 9:35, which states in part: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
“So far we’ve done it in four different states,” he said.
The Baytown group of 18, ranged from in age from middle school students through young adults and many have done mission work in churches across the Southwest.
In past years, the McAnallys have done worked in Colorado Springs at a church camp and in Fort Worth with low-income children and refugees.
Last year, they worked in Durango.
Christopher McAnally, the youth leaders’ son, has been a part of all their trips.
“It’s a real blessing to meet these new people,” he said.
mshinn@cortezjournal.com