Fort Laramie Country Church began approximately eight years ago with a group of 5-6 people meeting in the Fort Laramie Senior Center. When the church outgrew that facility, we moved to the gymnasium in the Fort Laramie Community Building. Four years ago, the church purchased an office building from the city and remodeled it into a sanctuary and two classrooms. We are still located in that building.

Fort Laramie Country Church is chartered under the Southern Baptist umbrella and embraces the Southern Baptist Convention’s “Baptist Faith and Message”. However, the church presents itself in the community as a nondenominational church body. There is no formal church membership. There is no governing board. Decisions are made by the entire church body in quarterly business meetings.

The church has grown in just a few short years from just five or six people initially to a Sunday attendance that was around 80-85 before Covid. We were closed for a few weeks during the onset of the pandemic and since reopening attendance has been between fifty and sixty people most Sundays. Fort Laramie Country Church is one of only two churches in the immediate community. The other is the Fort Laramie Community Presbyterian Church.

The community of Fort Laramie has seen modest growth over the past few years from people retiring and seeking a quieter environment for their retirement as well as from people who have begun working from home and have wanted to move out of a more urban environment. Church growth has come through the personal evangelism of the pastor, outreach from our members and from people moving into the community who come seeking a church home.

In an effort to facilitate adequate housing for a new pastor, the church recently purchased a four bedroom, 1 and 1/2 bath home immediately across the alley from the church. It is an older home but has had the electrical, plumbing and HVAC replaced. The church is currently in the process of remodeling the home, replacing kitchen cabinets and appliances, remodeling a bath, replacing carpet, painting, etc.

The population of the area and the church is for the most part comprised of ranchers, farmers, feedlot workers and the industries that support agriculture. Guernsey, which is just 13 miles west, has a large rail yard and a large Army National Guard base. Children from the Fort Laramie area attend school in Lingle which is ten miles to the east.

Grocery shopping is available in Guernsey, 13 miles west, or Torrington, which is 20 miles to the east of Fort Laramie. For larger purchases people travel to Scottsbluff, Nebraska, another 30 miles east of Torrington, to Cheyenne or to Casper.

The people of the church form a close-knit body. It is not unusual for the men of the church to perform one or more service projects a month for other members. Fences have been built, wheelchair ramps have been constructed, trailers have been skirted and numerous repair projects have been completed in homes and businesses. When a tornado went through a few of years ago the church performed general clean up, tree removal and replaced the roof on one home that was lost in the storm.   The remodeling of the building purchased from Fort Laramie City was remodeled by men and women of the church. When Covid has hit families in the church, meals have been provided by other members. We recently purchased a freezer to hold meat to distribute to families needing assistance. 

The church meets Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM. There is no Sunday School hour although with the change in Pastors there are some who would like to see that added. A Men’s Group meets every Thursday morning at 6:30 AM and has between 12 and 18 men attend. We eat breakfast and have a 30-minute Bible study and discussion. A women’s Bible study meets weekly after the men’s group. We have a very active prayer chain that has between 40 and 50 names and on most days has multiple prayer requests.  A small group meets each Wednesday at 4:00 PM to pray for the church.

Our church is an important part of the Fort Laramie community. We are far more than simply a place to congregate for a social interaction on a weekly basis. We believe we are God’s hands and feet in this world and are looking for a leader who will embrace that philosophy and lead us as we seek to continue to reach out to our community for God. 

PASTORAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Plan and coordinate weekly worship services. 

Prepare and deliver weekly scripture-based messages.

Oversee operations and functions of the church.

Prayerfully plan and implement programs to facilitate spiritual growth of the church body.

Plan and oversee outreach to the local community.

PASTORAL QUALIFICATIONS

     Committed, mature disciple of Jesus Christ.

     Devoted prayer life.

     Committed to regular study of God’s Word.

     Comfortable with interactions and visitation with a wide variety of people.