Archive for the ‘Abbott Texas’ Category

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet, at the Abbott Methodist Church next Sunday

Friday, February 5th, 2010


www.blackwoodqt.com

Snow and roads unsafe for travel prevented Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet from travelling to Texas for their musical service at the Abbott Methodist Church and Willie’s Place, Carl’s Corner Texas last weekend.

Good news though!  The group are scheduled to be at the Church next Sunday, February 7th, fora musical service.    If you are within driving distance, don’t miss this opportunity to hear this group and enjoy the service at the Abbott Methodist Church.  Services start at 10:45 a.m.  You will be inspired.

For information about Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet, their music and tour schedule, visit their website at:
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

photo credit:  Joyce Reed
Blackwood Quartet and members of the Abbott Methodist Church

Willie Nelson: The Facts of Life (and other dirty jokes)

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010


The Facts of Life: and Other Dirty Jokes
by Willie Nelson

“Our motto in Abbott was, and still is, “A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins.”  This was written above our black panther logo in the school gym.  I saw it every day.  It must have stuck.  I believe that you can’t lose if you don’t give up.  Even if you die, you’ll die fighting.  I remember one of the Rankin boys saying one day in a basketball game between Abbott and Byrum — someone offended him in some way — he jumped out in the middle of the gym and said, “My mama didn’t raise nothin’ but fighting kids!”  I thought, “What a nice family.”

The Abbott motto has carried me around the world several times, and helped me through a lot of interesting situations.  Like when I first came to Houston.  I hit town with my wife, Martha, and daughters, Lana, age four, and Susie, two.  I was looking for a place to stay and I needed rent money, so I began to search for a place to play.  I found a little place in Pasadena and got a job at the Esquire Ballroom, all the way across Houston, about an hour drive on the Hempstead Highway.

It was a Monday afternoon, about three o’clock.  Larry Butler and his band were rehearsing in the Esquire.  I walked in, sat at a table, and waited until Larry took a break.  I introduced myself and asked Larry if he wanted to buy any songs — ten dollars apiece.  I sang them, “I Gotta Get Drunk” and “Family Bible.”  He said, “Those songs are worth more than ten dollars, but I’ll loan you the money to pay your rent, and I’ll give you a job in my band.”  Thanks, Larry Butler.

One night, Larry was left in charge of the club while the owner Raymond Prosky, went somewhere.  Everything was fine until some drunk started giving the waitress trouble.  Larry came off the bandstand to straighten things out.  Naturally I had to help.  When the dust cleared, Larry had his teeth knocked out and I had two broken ribs.  Thanks, Larry, we’re even.  Just joking.  I owe you a lot more than that.”

Ron Blackwod and the Blackwood Quartet, and Stephen Girsh, at Willie’s Place

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet performed at Willie’s Place, Carl’s Corner, Texas last Sunday, January 24, 2009 — And Hillsboro’s own Stephen Girsh was their guest for the musical performance.  The concert was free, with an offering taken to benefit the Abbott Methodist Church and it’s scholarship program.

The quartet will perform again at Willie’s Place on January 31, 2010, and again it will be free, with an offering taken to benefit the Methodist Church of Abbott, Texas.

www.WilliesPlaceTheater.com

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet, and Stephen Girsh, at the Abbott Methodist Church Musical Service (1/17/2010)

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

 

Thanks so much to Joyce Reed for taking pictures of Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet and members of the Abbott Methodist Church last Sunday, January 17, 2010.   And thanks to Stephen Girsh for forwarding them to me. 

The Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet performed a musical service at the church Sunday.  They will return to the church on February 7, 2010, with the service starting at 10:45 a.m.   

If  you can’t make it to Abbott, you can hear them this Sunday, January 24, 2010, at Carl’s Corner, Texas, at Willie’s Place Theater.     The show is free, but people are invited to contribute, with all proceeds going to benefit the Abbott Methodist Church’s Scholarship Program.

Here, our good friend Stephen Girsh joins Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet.

For information about Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet, their music and tour schedule, visit their website at:
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet at the Abbott Methodist Church (1/17/2010)

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet were guests at the Abbott Methodist Church last Sunday.   They will return to the church on February 7, 2010, with the service starting at 10:45 a.m.

Stephen Hirsh attended the musical service and wrote: 

“What an amazing service.    We had a great crowd and the service was dynamic but we still had room for more.  Everyone plan to be there on the 7th.” 

The quartet will perform on January 24 and January 31, 2010, at Willie’s Place Theater at Carl’s Corner, Texas.  The concerts start at 2 p.m., and are free, with a love offering taken to benefit the Abbott Methodist Church Scholarship Fund. 

For information about Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet, their music and tour schedule, visit their website at:
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet at the Abbott Methodist Church on Sunday, January 17, 2010

Friday, January 15th, 2010

ronwillie1
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet will be guests of the Abbott Methodist Church this Sunday, January 17, 2010.   The award winning quartet continues to show their support for the community of Abbott, and share their wonderful gospel music with shows at the Methodist Church in Abbott and at Willie’s Place, Carl’s Corner, Texas this month. 

If you can make it to Abbott this weekend, the Abbott Methodist Church welcomes you.

 

 

Seating is limited in the church, so please arrive early; a large turnout is expected for this talented and inspiring group.

Doors will open around 10:00 a.m., and the service will start at 10:45.

For more information about the Blackwood Quartet:
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

There is no charge for the group’s shows at Carl’s Corners; they are asking only for a donation that will benefit the Abbott Methodist Church and it’s scholarship program for local school children.  For information on shows at Willie’s Place Theater:
 www.williesplacetheater.com.

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

 

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet are playing at Carl’s Corner, Texas, and at the Methodist Church in Abbott, Texas.  Here’s their full schedule, and you can learn more about projects they are working on at their website at http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

17 January 2010
23 January 2010
24 January 2010
05 February 2010
07 February 2010
12 February 2010
13 February 2010
18 February 2010
19 February 2010
20 February 2010
11 March 2010
26 March 2010
10 April 2010
16 April 2010
30 April 2010

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet to perform at the Abbott Methodist Church (1/17/2010 and 2/7/2010)

Monday, January 4th, 2010


in Luck, Texas

Ron Blackwood and the Blackwood Quartet will perform during Sunday services on Sunday, January 17, 2010 and Sunday, February 7, 2010, at the Abbott Methodist Church in Abbott, Texas.

Seating is limited in the church, so please arrive early; a large turnout is expected for this talented and inspiring group.

Doors will open around 10:00 a.m., and the service will start at 10:45.

For more information about the Blackwood Quartet:
http://www.blackwoodqt.com/

Abbott Methodist Church

Future Farmers of America

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Future Farmers of America sign, Abbott, TX
For more info:  www.ffa.org

http://content.usatoday.com
by Doug Stanglin

What do former President Jimmy Carter, Willie Nelson, singer Taylor Swift, Garfield-creator Jim Davis and multi-platform athlete Bo Jackson have in common?

 They were all members of the Future Farmers of America, the youth agricultural organization now called simply the National FFA Organization.

 For that matter, so were the Eagles’  Don Henley, Morris Dees, founder of the South Poverty Law Center, Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints and Jared Hess, writer and director of the film Napoleon Dynamite.

But the FFA is largely unknown on the East and West Coasts, especially in big cities as New York and a growing presence among big cityurban areas, even though it has chapters in such big cities as New York City and a growing presence in big city charter schools.

The organization is trying to change all that. This year, the FFA, for the first time is mounting a Tournament of Roses Parade float, sponsored by RFD-TV, the rural-oriented cable station that Don Imus jumped to after being dumped by MSNBC.  

Farm and Dairy  quote RFD’s founder, Patrick Gottsch, as saying the goal of the Rose Bowl float is “to connect and educate the urban world about the positive aspects of rural America.”

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/future-farmers-to-float-a-higher-profile-at-rose-bowl-parade/1

Support the Abbott Methodist Church Scholarship Program

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009


You can support the Abbott Methodist Church scholarship, with the purchase of the commerative coin produced by Willie Nelson, Abbott Methodist Church, and the Texas Mint.  The coins are one ounce .999 silver commemorative coins dated 2006, the year that Willie Nelson purchased the Abbott church.   

One side of this 39 mm coin has an image of Willie and Bobbie Nelson, and the reverse showing the old Abbott Church that Willie and Bobbie grew up in their childhood.

Willie purchased the Church building in 2006 when it came up for sale and has saved the Church from abandonment; services are held monthly.  One-half of all profits from the sale the limited edition coins directly support the Abbott Methodist Church scholarship fund.

You can purchase the coins at the Texas Mint and Mercantile, in Whitney.  You can also purchase it from the Cash Grocery Store in Abbott, and directly from the website using their order form (need to print out and complete, mail in.)
http://01f31ba.netsolhost.com/order.htm .

Willie Nelson Souvenirs-N-Stuff Shop (Feb. 1987)

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

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Willie Nelson Road design above depicts a big heart coming out of the state of Texas and empasizes the Willie Nelson Road running through his hometown of Abbott.  The reverse lists some places that Willie has visited in Abbott.

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Willie Nelson on Bill Mack’s Sunday Social, from Willie’s Place Sirius/XM Radio

Sunday, September 27th, 2009


Willie and Bobbie Nelson, Abbott Methodist Church, 7/2/06 

Bill Mack is hosting his Sunday Social on Willie’s Place, Sirius/XM Radio today, and he announced that Willie Nelson will be phoning in to speak with him today.  Willie is in on tour in Illinois, and will call in from his tour bus to speak with Bill this morning.

Bill hosts the Sunday Social every Sunday on Willie’s Place, and if you want to listen in, and enjoy Willie’s Place throughout the rest of the week, you can subscribe to Sirius/XM at www.xmradio.com.


Willie Nelson greets friends at worshippers at Abbott Methodist Church

Willie and Bobbie Nelson Commemorative Coins

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Commemorative silver coins produced by the Texas Mint in Whitney are being sold to help raise funds to support the Abbott Methodist Church and it’s scholarship programs.    The coins have the likeness of Abbott natives Willie and Bobbie Nelson on one side and the Abbott church the siblings helped save on the other.

According to Don Reed of Whitney, proceeds from the sale of the coins will benefit the church and the scholarship established by the Nelsons for high school seniors from Abbott, Aquilla, Hillsboro and Whitney.   Willie Nelson , Don Reed and Bobby Messer with the Texas Mint came up with the idea to sell the coins, which go for $55, which includes tax.

“We were looking for a way to sustain the church and scholarship fund,” Reed, who coordinates church and scholarship activities, pointed out.   It was Reed who tipped Willie off in 2006 that the church that he and Bobbie grew up in had been closed and was being sold for possible use as a wedding chapel elsewhere.

The Nelsons stepped in and purchased the building. It still functions as a church today, holding services the first and third Sundays of each month at 10:45 a.m.

“When the church closed, they were averaging about five people per Sunday.   “We are now averaging about 35 to 40 people with all volunteer preachers, song leaders and music directors,” Reed said.

The church recently ordained its first minister, and a Waco man who preached his first sermon in Abbott now has his own church in Houston with over 300 members.

The scholarship fund has awarded $25,000 in scholarships the past two years and anticipates giving additional scholarships next spring. 

You can purchase the coins at the Texas Mint, at the Abbott Methodist Church, the Abbott Cash Grocery Store, and at the Hillsboro Reporter offices.   To purchase a coin by mail, you can use the site’s order form:
http://01f31ba.netsolhost.com/order.htm

W. B. Shepard: Willie Nelson’s High School Vocational Ed Teacher

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

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photo by Samuel Waive

American Country
July 1986

Willie Nelson leaned his farming lessons from W. B. Shepard, his Vocational Agricultural Instructor at Abbott High School.  Willie attended high school in Abbott, Texas 1947 through 1950.  He was a member of the FFA Chapter all four years.  Willie won the FFA District award “Sweetheart of Talent” in 1949, recalls Shepard.

Shepard was interviewed May 6 at his farm and his pride and joy — the Outpost, a combination old fashion trading post, general store, salvage market. 

One of six children, Shepard has four brothers and one sister.  All are farmers.  The Shepard Farm and the Outpost are located one mile north of Abbott, eight miles south of Hillsboro on the east side of I-35 on a gravel road between I-35 and the Willie Nelson Road.  The exit for the Outpost has no name but there is a large, vacant OGY service center on the west side of I-35 at the farm to market road. 

Shepard refers to Willie Nelson as a “good student.”  He remembers how Willie was an all around athlete, who played football, basketball and was good in track.

Shepard said he gets calls often from people asking about Willie Nelson.  Only a year ago a Sports Illustrated reporter was working on a story about track and called him about Willie.

Stephen Girsh, of Hillsboro, TX, injured in accident

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Stephen Girsh and Bobbie Nelson at the Abbott Methodist Church, on Sunday July , 2008.

Prayers and best wishes go out to Stephen Girsh, who  was injured in an accident earlier this month.  Stephen is active in the Abbott Methodist Church, and  with the scholarship program.

Here’s the write up in the local paper:

Deputy Injured In Accident

A Hill County Sheriff’s Office deputy was slightly injured while directing traffic in downtown Hillsboro Monday afternoon, August 10, 2009.

Deputy Stephen Girsh was working at the corner of Elm and Waco streets where a dump truck had become disabled.

The accident occurred about 12:05 p.m. when a sport-utility vehicle driven by Miriam Pharris of Hillsboro turned from Waco onto Elm and struck the deputy.

Hillsboro Fire/Rescue was called to transport Girsh to Hill Regional Hospital in Hillsboro. He was treated and released, according to Sheriff Jeffrey T. Lyon.

Hillsboro police Corporal Lambert Jefferson and Officer Justin Motherspau were assisted by the Department of Public Safety, sheriff’s deputies and Constable David Bledsoe in their investigation.


Stephen and me at the Waco, TX show last year.

Stephen sent this note today:

After a couple of days off and being pretty stiff I am back on my feet.  Thanks to the muscle relaxers and pain pills all is well.  Xrays show no obvious damage to my previous back surgery and all my screws and hardware is still in its proper place.

Stephen L & Brenda J Girsh
Hillsboro, Texas  76645
“In God We Trust”