Large crowd turns out for Tractor Sunday

Jul 13, 2023

PORTER TWP. – More than 1,000 people showed up to enjoy the Leatherwood Church’s 16th annual Tractor Sunday event this past weekend.

The much-loved gathering drew attendees from near and far who congregated under a pavilion, in the shade of trees or beneath canopies to listen to the Leatherwood Band and the spiritual messages delivered in the morning.

New this year was the Spurred to Victory horseback ministry of Charlie Wyant and family. Wyant delivered a message of belief and spiritual growth from the back of Tom, a well-trained five-year-old Standardbred who was teaching the ropes to a nearby three-year-old trainee, Tucker.

“You see how Tom knows his way around. On the other hand, Tucker has not even been ridden yet,” Wyant said. “It is the same way with Christians old and new.”

Midway through his message, Wyant stopped and removed his spurs. He said that more experienced Christians did not always need that kind of reminder from God, but they often brought trainees like Tucker to seek the Word.

Meanwhile, Pastor Doug Henry, the spiritual leader of the Leatherwood Church and driving force behind Tractor Sunday, was preparing for the 11 o’clock service, the centerpiece of the annual gathering.

Larry Gourley, a Porter Township resident whose family has been one of the motivating forces behind the church festival since its inception, said, “This is without a doubt the best turnout that we have had, and it is not even noon yet. We added more vendors and food trucks, and so we had to come up with extra spaces for them.”

In a freshly mowed area downhill from the pavilion, bouncy houses, lined-up tractors and show cars, visitors found a new coffee truck and the new location of the Distant fire department’s familiar food truck.

Brian Mann, one of the department’s dedicated members, said, “We do not know how this new location is going to work for us. We do not know if people will find us.”

As he spoke, several people sauntered down the hill in search of food and hot cocoa. Uphill from the Distant VFD’s booth was Steve’s Bees, a honey and beeswax-candle vendor from Lucinda. Nearby was a tent serving beverages and doughnuts to the morning crowd.

Back in the main area behind the church, those who were not sitting around Wyant’s horseback sermon were checking out the segregated ranks of John Deere and Farmall tractors. It seemed that tractor aficionados were as brand-loyal as Chevrolet and Ford owners.

The busiest places on Sunday morning before the traditional 11 a.m. service were the bouncy houses. Always a big hit with children, both were filled with shrieks and laughter. Both houses were well-used by the end of the day.

The picnic pavilion still had plenty of seating available in the morning but would be filled at noontime for lunch. Noon has been the best time to enjoy musical entertainment while visiting with local friends and make new ones every year.

Tractor Sunday began at 9 a.m. and continued until 3 p.m. under partly cloudy skies. The event has never been rained out in its history, but there have been downpours afterward. The weather held for once during a rainy summer.

The proceeds from the annual event are always earmarked for various mission projects that the nondenominational Leatherwood Church supports.

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