Church hosting cancer fighters

Staff writer

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Barely a year old and about 50 congregants strong, Living Water Community Church is giving Clovis the opportunity to impact a national initiative in a positive way.

Living Water Community Church, 2801 Llano Estacado Blvd., will be hosting 29 activists who are cycling across the U.S. to raise funds to help young adults diagnosed with cancer.

The cyclists, who departed from Baltimore June 1 and expect to reach their destination, San Diego, in early August, will make their way to Living Water Community Church on Saturday between 5 p.m.-6 p.m.

link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero

Anthony Brent, 22, a youth pastor at Living Water Community Church, leads praise and worship with Living Water Pastor Don Bates during the church’s Wednesday night service.

The church will provide the cyclists with dinner, a place to sleep during the night and homes where they may shower. The church will also provide the cyclists with breakfast Sunday morning before they continue on their 80-miles-a-day journey.

But youth leader Anthony Brent said Saturday’s arrival is also an opportunity for the community to become involved.

“Our goal is to show (the cyclists) that Clovis is a hospitable city,” Brent said. “I think we can show them that Clovis is a wonderful community.

“Visit, shake hands, show faith.”

Donations of any kind for the cyclists are welcome, Brent said. He suggested donations of Gatorade and protein bars to help nourish them.

Belinda Bates, music director for Living Water and wife of Pastor Donald Bates, said representatives with Hospice of the Sandias will be at the church Saturday with water for the cyclists.

Bates also said Saturday’s arrival was a chance for Clovis to show its support, adding that any other organizations or groups who want to extend a welcome to the cyclists may contact her about ways to do so.

“It’s been interesting to be involved in (the cyclists’ arrival),” Bates said. “We’re a small church, we’re doing what we can to support them.”

The college-aged cyclists are part of 4K for Cancer, a program of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

The Ulman Cancer Fund is a nonprofit that supports young adults and their loved ones affected by cancer.

According to the program’s website, 4K for Cancer involves an annual series of treks that first began in 2001. Last year, the website states, 127 program participants traveled across America and raised nearly $775,000 to support young adults affected by cancer.

The group of cyclists that will ride through Clovis are just one of four cycling groups who departed from Baltimore. Although their destination is San Diego, other groups of cyclists will be riding to San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle.

Brent said Living Water Community Church was contacted by a representative with 4K for Cancer on June 18.

“They wanted to know if we would host them in our facility,” Brent said. “We agreed to do so.”

Brent said he’s not exactly sure how the group found out about Living Water Community Church, but he did assert that the church was the first to respond to the request.

Brent has been stationed at Cannon Air Force Base since September 2012. At 22, he is also one of Living Water’s founding members. The church was founded July 13, 2013.

As a youth leader, Brent helps lead youth services on the first and third Friday of every month. He also helps coordinate a weekly community outreach.

“We go out every Saturday to take prayer requests door to door,” Brent said. These prayers then become part of Sunday’s service.

“Our goal is to pray for the entire city of Clovis,” he said.

Fast facts

What: 4K for Cancer

Information: http://4kforcancer.org; http://www.facebook.com/4kforcancer

To donate: Contact Belinda Bates at (575) 218-0971

Living Water Community Church activities and services

Information: (575) 218-0982; http://www.livingwaterrestoration.com