A newcomer to our forty-seventh state in the union, New Mexico, I am working on a book that delves into the unique experience of three religious cultures merging in a small New Mexican rural community. The Land of Enchantment is not just a description of the landscape in this southwestern area of the country but is also a means by which to characterize the religious traditions that co-exist in an area rich in history and early American culture.

Pie Town and Catron County, New Mexico is a perfect setting to locate this story of pioneer Presbyterians, members of the Navajo tribe and Anasazi people, and Spanish Catholics who traveled through Mexico to settle in the new world. Protestant homesteaders from the central and eastern part of the country joined Native Americans and Hispanic Catholic settlers to create a unique community that welcomes and celebrates religious and cultural diversity.

I seek financial assistance to leave my work as a pastor, setting aside time to write. I also seek financial ssistance to enable me to engage in proper research, including studies of books and materials and interviews of townspeople and scholars in New Mexican history. This research will enable me to adequately represent the three traditions and cultures creating a story that is interesting and truthful. I therefore submit this application for the Pastoral Study Project of the Louisville Institute Grant Program.