The Rev. Drew Travis has had to adjust to Conway By getting used to trees, for example.
And he jokes that he might develop webbed feet due to the rain. West Texas doesn't have much of either.
But Travis knows Conway is where he is called to be.
"This is a very warm community," he said. "I think the potential for ministry here is boundless."
Travis moved from Plainview, Texas, to become minister at First Presbyterian Church, 2400 Prince St. He will be installed at 4 p.m. Sunday. A reception will follow, and a nursery will be provided.
The Rev. Steve Hancock of Little Rock's Second Presbyterian Church will preach. Other participants are the Rev. Leslie Roper of Batesville; the Rev. Shauna Silmon of Little Rock's Grace Presbyterian Church; Jim Hays, moderator of the Pastor Nominating Committee instrumental in calling Travis; Toney McMillan and Lynn Condra, representing Arkansas Presbytery's Committee on Ministry; Jackson Farrow, presbytery moderator; and Wes Naron and Renata Kennedy, friends from Plainview, who will sing "The Prayer," a song popularized by Josh Grobin.
Travis comes from four generations of ministers. His great-grandfather, Murray, a minister in the Northern Baptist church, moved to West Texas from Michigan and later became Presbyterian.
Travis' grandfather, Frank, his great-uncle, Hubert, his father, Murray, and his brothers, Karl and Doug, all became ministers. Karl serves First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth; Doug is an Episcopal priest. According to Travis, Doug fell in love with "high church" liturgy while visiting Russia in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he switched denominations. Not to be left out, Travis' sisters are ordained Presbyterian elders. Jan is Clerk of Session at her Tulia, Texas, church, and Kristi has served on sessions in Oklahoma and Florida.
Travis pondered a while before deciding to join the ministry.
"I wanted to make sure this was my call and that I wasn't just going into the family business," he said. His service at Messiah Presbyterian Church in Lubbock, Texas, during his attendance at Texas Tech was a deciding factor.
"You become a minister when you can't see yourself being something else," Travis said.
Travis also pondered his call to Conway. The decision was made when, while driving on a narrow section of under-construction interstate, he looked over to see a huge truck inches from his car. On the truck's side in huge letters was written, "CONWAY." Travis said he went home and called Hays to say he would take the job.
Travis and his wife, Rhonda, grew up next door to each other in Tulia and married while still in college. The couple has six children, five daughters and a son.
Oldest daughter, Britton Varn, husband, Chris, and son, Riley, 2, live in Little Rock where Britton is youth director at Second Presbyterian Church.
Daughter Kristin has always dreamed of joining the "family business." As a child, she drew a picture showing her dad and her in side-by-side pulpits and labeled it "Dad and me, the ministers." Currently, she and husband Dan Lopez and stepsons Nick and Zack live in San Antonio, Texas, where she works for Children's Protective Services. She is still considering ministry and may enroll in Austin Seminary in a couple of years.
Jesse, who will graduate in May from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, has interviewed with Teach for America and hopes to teach in an inner city. Her twin, Jordan, graduated in December from Trinity University in San Antonio. She will do her graduate work in Vermont. The youngest daughter, Hailey, will graduate from Plainview High School in May. She was looking at Hendrix College before her parents knew they were moving to Conway. If she attends Hendrix, she and her parents have agreed "there will be rules" so that she will get an opportunity to be independent.
Dylan will be a freshman at Conway High School in the fall. He enjoys athletics and is not as outgoing as his sisters. Travis says Dylan often tells his mother, "Mom, I'm not one of your daughters."
Rhonda, Hailey and Dylan will join Travis in Conway at the end of May.
