Bill Rice Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Bill Rice Ranch is a Christian
Summer Camp
in Murfreesboro
Tennessee
that was founded by Bill Rice to provide a place for preaching the gospel to teens, especially the deaf.
and was left deaf from this disease. They soon realized that many people across America were deaf, and had been ignored by Christians. The Bill Rice Ranch was born as a ministry to these people.
Today, The Ranch runs all summer long providing preaching and activities for the hundreds of teens and children who attend there every week. While the Ranch has grown beyond a ministry to the deaf, they are still its core focus. The deaf attend free, and the Ranch is very attentive to their needs.
, Arizona
. As an extension of the Bill Rice Ranch, it has allowed many people from the western United States to be blessed by the ministry of the Bill Rice Ranch.
Initially Flagstaff served well as a location for a new summer camp, however because of its proximity to the city, West Branch was unable to accommodate the growing number of teens coming to the camp every summer. In December 1997, the Ranch acquired approximately 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of land in Williams, Arizona
. The land in Flagstaff was sold in September 2004, and West Branch is meeting in rental locations until building is complete in the new location.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Summer Camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
that was founded by Bill Rice to provide a place for preaching the gospel to teens, especially the deaf.
The Ranch
Bill and Cathy Rice founded the Bill Rice Ranch in 1953 as a ministry to deaf individuals. They became concerned with the deaf when their daughter contracted meningitisMeningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
and was left deaf from this disease. They soon realized that many people across America were deaf, and had been ignored by Christians. The Bill Rice Ranch was born as a ministry to these people.
Today, The Ranch runs all summer long providing preaching and activities for the hundreds of teens and children who attend there every week. While the Ranch has grown beyond a ministry to the deaf, they are still its core focus. The deaf attend free, and the Ranch is very attentive to their needs.
West Branch
While the Bill Rice Ranch continued to grow, because of its location, the ministry was limited to people on the East Coast. This changed however in 1988 when West Branch opened in FlagstaffFlagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. As an extension of the Bill Rice Ranch, it has allowed many people from the western United States to be blessed by the ministry of the Bill Rice Ranch.
Initially Flagstaff served well as a location for a new summer camp, however because of its proximity to the city, West Branch was unable to accommodate the growing number of teens coming to the camp every summer. In December 1997, the Ranch acquired approximately 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of land in Williams, Arizona
Williams, Arizona
Williams is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States west of Flagstaff. Its population was 2,842 at the 2000 census; according to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,094. It lies on the route of Historic Route 66, Interstate 40, and the Southwest Chief Amtrak...
. The land in Flagstaff was sold in September 2004, and West Branch is meeting in rental locations until building is complete in the new location.