2025 CatchAFire is a family event

The 13th annual CatchAFire event this Friday is a family event this year, instead of an event solely geared toward bringing men and boys to a closer walk with the Lord.

CatchAFire committee member Frank Ley said the event has been going more than 10 years in Worland and is open to anyone. This year’s event will feature Tommy & Eddie The Skit Guys, who are Tommy Woodard and Eddie James. Ley said some of The Skit Guys skits have been used in previous CatchAFire events by committee members.

The Skit Guys, according to the website, “use humor to break down walls for God’s truth to enter.”

According to the duos YouTube account, “The Skit Guys have been best friends since high school. They fell in love with acting in their school’s theater productions and had a knack for making people laugh. When Tommy invited Eddie to church, everything changed. With encouragement and guidance from their youth pastor, the guys started to write and perform skits for their youth group. Since then, they’ve been writing and performing hilarious and poignant skits live and on screen. Tommy and Eddie have traveled the world performing at events, churches, and conferences. They have grown SkitGuys.com into a media resource for pastors with countless videos and scripts that are used in churches all over the world. The Skit Guys also have a web series called ‘Bedtime Bible Stories,’ their ‘Laugh More’ podcast, and a book on friendship called ‘Smells Like Bacon,’ as well as comedy DVDs. Their first feature film, ‘Family Camp,’ opened in theaters in 2022.”

The event is at the Worland Middle School Auditorium with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Eventbrite and will not be available at the door. Tickets are limited to 40.

Ley said there will be VIP tickets available for a meet and greet with Tommy & Eddie. Early access for those with VIP tickets at 5 p.m.

Ley said there will be a vendor available this year. Our Brother’s Keeper Bookstore from Rock Springs will have various Christian and faith-based merchandise.

The main event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a praise band that will be a combination of the CatchAFire and Big Praise bands. The Skit Guys will take the stage at 7 p.m. for about an hour performance.

On Saturday, there will be a community breakfast for men at 8 a.m. at Crosspoint Baptist Church, 1101 Big Horn Avenue. There will be breakfast, worship, a message and prayer.

The CatchAFire committee also meets weekly in a no-host breakfast at Ranchito’s at 8 a.m. every second Saturday.

CATCHAFIRE

CatchAFire began in 2013 with founders James Scott of Hyattville and AJ Jenness of Greybull. Ley said this year’s event is the final for Scott as he has moved to Montana.

According to an article in the Jan. 8, 2013, issue of the Northern Wyoming Daily News, CatchAFire was the first Christian-based event for men to be held in the Big Horn Basin.

"This idea started about six years ago when James, his wife Rebecca, my wife Wendy and I were sitting together," said Pastor Jenness said in 2013. "We all had a real burden for the people in the Big Horn Basin. So we all started to pray and asked God to help us bring people to Christ."

According to the 2013 article, their idea was placed on the back burner for a few years until 2012 when both Scott and Jenness provided background help for the women's event 'Perfect Plan' conference (begun by Wendy Jenness). Both were in the kitchen washing dishes when Scott asked his friend "Why can't we do something like this for men."

Ley said the goal of CatchAFire is to plant seeds for men and boys about salvation through Christ. He said it is to “bring hope to men, let them know they're not alone.”

He said they want to encourage men in their faith and their relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as plant those seeds.

The committee has talked about the high suicide rates in Wyoming and Ley said people are losing hope. “We want to make sure they know there’s more. God just wants us to take the next step and see what He has planned. It’s not always the way we think it’s going.”

For more information on this year’s event contact Ley at 307-431-8128 or Greg Bradshaw at 307-431-1461.