71st annual Lord’s Acre Auction at Bethel

Bethel Community Church of Ellis County at 534 Bethel Road, Waxahachie, invites you to join them for the 71st annual Lord’s Acre Auction on Saturday, Oct. 15.

The day begins at noon with a free barbecue lunch and fellowship, with the auction starting at 1 p.m.

Members of the church donate items like pies, cookies, quilts, blankets and more to be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to the church.

This year, there is a special addition to the auction: a restored buggy.

The buggy was originally owned by Gaylynn Beasom, granddaughter of lifelong Bethel Church member Oscar Curry. Curry and his family farmed their entire lives in the Bethel community.

Beasom gave it to John Sims, who thought it would make a great item for the auction once restored.

A majority of the restoration work was completed by Bethel Church members.

The original wooden frame was rotten, so a new 1x1 steel underframe and paint were donated by Bill Kinsala. Gary Smith, J.B. Sims and Tim Murry donated new wooden wheels from Hansen Wheel & Wagon in South Dakota. The new seat cushion was assembled by Angela Smith. Vicki Van Huss donated the upholstery.

Gary Smith rebuilt the frame, added a rear shock and refinished the fiberglass seat. He also painted the entire buggy. Don Beasley refinished the draw bar.

The buggy, along with shafts to hook it up to a horse, will be auctioned Saturday.

Bethel was the first church in Texas to hold a Lord’s Acre Sale in 1952.

Ellis County agriculture producer John Paul Dineen III said Alma Edmonson was visiting the eastern part of the United States and witnessed a Lord’s Acre Sale.

When she returned to Ellis County, she told J.H. Sims and his wife about what she saw. Together, they started the Lord’s Acre sale at Bethel. Community members would donate the profit or whatever grew on one acre of land, and they would mark that acre with a cross that typically said “Lord’s Acre Project,” showing people which acre was donated to the church.

“If you’re looking for something kind of unique to go to, come by the sale there at Bethel,” Dineen said. “We’d love to see you and love to have you support a community church that’s been there since 1853.”

For more information, visit @BethelCommunityChurchofEllisCounty on Facebook.

Originally published October 10, 2022 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/arts_and_entertainment/71st-annual-lord-s-acre-auction-at-bethel/article_cdf19a30-48ca-11ed-8981-2321d54a5f6d.html