LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Seventeen solid oak pews with padded seats plus a baptismal pool, with a total value of more than $40,000, were donated to the new Valley Cowboy Church in Spring Valley by Hospice Services of Lake County.  

The pews and pool were included in hospice's purchase of the former Calvary Baptist Church property on Parallel Drive in Lakeport.

As part of its commitment to recycle and re-use contents of the building, Hospice Services of Lake County sought a buyer for the pool and pews.

After talking with pastors Jackie Hansen-Merritt and Joe Merritt of the Valley Cowboy Church, hospice officials agreed to donate the items to the new church.

Several members of the church, including both pastors, came with two large trailers and pickup trucks to move the pews to their new home.

The baptismal pool was dismantled and removed from the Parallel Drive site over several days.

“The only things we already have are a piano and a horse trough,” said Hansen-Merritt when they came to pick up the pews.

She was thrilled to get the pool and pews, and said the congregation was growing.

The Valley Cowboy Church is located at 1556 New Long Valley Road in Spring Valley.

The building once housed a different church and the new pastors have opened the walls to expand the sanctuary accommodating the new pews and a larger congregation.

Future improvements include building a fenced area on the church grounds for horses so members of the congregation can ride their horses to church and have a safe place to leave them while they attend services.

Hansen-Merritt said the idea came to her when she realized how many of the local residents in Spring Valley had to drive miles out of the valley to attend church, and those that couldn’t drive didn’t have a church to go to.

Many of the residents in the valley have horses and she thought the local residents should have the option to ride their horses to church.

For more information about the Valley Cowboy Church, contact Pastor Jackie Hansen-Merritt at 707-350-1109.

Christine Hutt works for Hospice Services of Lake County, Calif.