If you’ve read Her Valentine Cowboy, you know that the heroine, Susana Vrba, comes from a family descended from Czech immigrants who settled in Texas. In real life, there are many Czexan communities throughout our great state. I spent some time in one of them to gather knowledge for my book, and I’m so glad I did!
My point of entry was the Vsetin Czech Moravian Brethren Church of Halletsville, Texas, about an hour’s drive from where I live. Last year, I attended Sunday worship service there. The parishioners I met were so friendly and helpful, and the pastor and his wife, Mark and Vernell Labaj, stayed after the service with me, answering my questions and telling me about the history of their community, their families, their congregation, and their denomination. Over the months that followed, as I was writing the book, I texted more questions to Vernell, and she clearly and cheerfully answered them all.
This past Sunday, I went back to the church and gave Vernell a signed copy of the book. It was good to worship and visit with these brothers and sisters in the Lord. And this time, I took pictures!
The limestone church building is beautifully situated among live oak trees and surrounded by pastureland.
Pastor Mark with the head of the elder board.
The Bible on the altar is in the Czech language.
After the service, Pastor Mark and Vernell took me to lunch at a local Mexican food restaurant, along with Vernell’s mother, Vicky Zak. We had a lovely time.
Just like the fictional church in Her Valentine Cowboy, the Vsetin CMB Church holds an annual Chili and Noodle Soup Supper as a fundraiser for the Christian Sisters women’s group. They don’t actually put noodles in the chili. The noodles are a whole ‘nother thing. The women’s group spends an entire Saturday making them from scratch, using 25-20 dozen chicken eggs! That’s a lot of noodles.
This year’s supper will be held Saturday 25 February at 5 pm, and Lord willing, I’ll be there! There’ll be a raffle drawing around 7:30 pm with lots of great prizes, including an LC engraved limited edition .22 Henry rifle and a .22 SS Marlin rifle. I’m donating some of my books to be bundled in with a quilt that’s being raffled.
I’ll send out a reminder closer to the time of the supper. If you’re handy to Hallettsville, stop by, say hello, and sample some delicious Czexan cooking! Hope to see you there.
