Jessica Burtnick

Multimedia Journalist

Eat, pray and love every moment at the fourth annual Heritage Days Breakfast and Cowboy Church on Sunday, Aug. 5 at the Strathmore Ag Grounds.

The Strathmore Lions Club will serve up a free pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., alongside a Cowboy Church service at 9 a.m.

"Of course, cowboys are welcome, but we get mostly people from town and visitors to the stampede," said Pastor Darrell Young.

Young said Strathmore Alliance Church began to hold a cowboy church service in conjunction with the Heritage Days rodeo about 13 or 14 years ago, thanks to parishioner Milt Willms. Four years ago, the event relocated to the Ag Grounds, and is now a cooperative event with other churches in town.

"It started in our church . but it branched out," he said. "We decided to take our regular church service from the inside to the outside."

Most churches cancel their regular services to participate in the outdoor ceremonies, which drew 1,200 people last year, according to Tamara Yingst, co-owner of The Yingst Group. Her company has volunteered to help promote the event.

"I believe in the vision," she said. "I think it's a good thing, and however I can help out . I'm going to do that."

So grab some grub and live gospel music at the Ag Grounds, and don't forget to shout a few alleluias and yee-haws.

"The rodeo has a certain reputation. It's very Canadian," said Young. "We feel that adding the church aspect only adds to that."

For more information or to volunteer, contact the Strathmore Alliance Church by phone at 403-934-3543, or email office@strathmorealliance.com.