Willie and Bobbie Nelson attended service at the Methodist Church in Abbott yesterday morning. Thanks so much to Stephen Girsh, who attended and participated in the service yesterday, for sending this picture.
Rev. Arthur Sly gave the sermon. In addition to Willie and Bobbie Nelson’s musical service, Stephen Girsh, Mike Baker, Carol Raulston, also sang, and Katherine Matthys accompanied on the piano.
Willie and Bobbie, Willie’s wife Annie and daughter Lana, sat in pews and enjoyed service, then Willie and Bobbie sang, “Family Bible,” “In God’s Eyes,” and “Amazing Grace.Â
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Janis was at the picnic concert at the Sam Houston Racetrack on Saturnday, then got up early, early, early and drove from Houston to Abbott for Sunday’s service. She sent these pictures; Thanks, Janis!Â
Joyce Reed said that there were about 160 persons in attendance on Sunday, and that after the service, several members of the Baptist Church across the street, came over to greet Willie and Bobbie.
Joe Nick Patoski was at the service, and wrote a nice story about the service, and about the Church on his blog at www.joenickp.blogspot.com.  Also, he links to a small you-tube video clip of Willie and Bobbie singing, ‘Family Bible,’ that a friend sent him.Â
Stephen Girsh wrote:
“Willie, Annie, Bobbie and Lana came in just as the service was starting. At the end of the service, Willie and Bobbie did a couple of songs together. Once the service ended, the crowd swarmed around him and Bobbie but he graciously met everyone who approached and took pictures and signed what ever people handed him to sign.  It was such a wonderful morning and a great service.  After the service and Willie had met everyone that wanted his ear, he slipped out the door, took off his jacket and draped it over his arm, and simply walked off down the street alone towards his house. Seeing him do that was sorta surreal as everytime I have ever been around him, he is simply swarmed by people wanting to be near him. I really wish I would have had my camera out at that moment because it would have been such a stunning photo of him simply walking off alone and too himself. What a wonderful guy.  Bobbie and Annie walked off down the street together also. We stopped and asked them if we could take them to the house but they said no, they were walking because they wanted to. I guess in their business, you take those moments of solitude when ever you can get them. Wish you could have been there it was such a wonderful morning.”
The church’s program announced that the next service at the church would be July 20, 2008.
For the past two years, the Methodist Church in Abbott has awarded scholarship funds to students of six local school districts. The scholarships are available to all students – not just students with the highest grade ranking, specifically. The Church’s intent is to give all students a chance for a scholarship to help them attend college or other post-high school education or training.
Anyone wanting to make a donation to the Church’s Scholarship Program can send your check or money order payable to Abbott Methodist Church, to:
Abbott Methodist Church
P.O. Box 105
Abbott, Tx 76621