We share with you the passing of our dear Partner, Humorist, SBG Website Contributor, IT Extraordinaire and Enforcer of Thankful Thoughts Lurene Spear. Lurene passed on September 3, 2023 after a brief bout with cancer. We miss her tremendously but know she is rejoicing with the Lord!

Link to obituary: https://npwelch.com/obituary/lurene-adele-spear/

We are pleased to roll out a new look for our website this month thanks to Matt Griffin with Six House Design. Although we appreciated the classic look of our old website (also designed by Matt), we recognize that a fine line exists between "classic" and "dated" and we may have crossed it without realizing it. (In our defense, we weren't wearing our readers)

The march to fully automate the oil field has made yet another stop at the Spear Brothers Group. Now, in addition to our systems for accounting and document management we are adding Enverus MineralSoft to the mix - a comprehensive mineral and land management platform. After we have completed onboarding, we are looking forward to experiencing an improved ability to evaluate offers and investments, a new set of tools to manage revenue and a marked drop in the practice of hand-drawing property maps from complex legal descriptions. An overall positive impact is anticipated to the collective psyche of the group; however, long-held emotional ties to coloring grids with highlighters may prove difficult to break. ("Put the markers BACK")

Overheard in a recent SBG staff meeting: "What are these two companies you are talking about? I have never heard of them." Reply: "Well, to tell you the truth, we forgot we had them." (Future staff meeting agenda item: "Intervention") #INCADDICTS

Change was certainly in the air at SBG in 2017. Oil prices, staff and responsibilities all fluctuated significantly but have now settled comfortably like wind-blown leaves in autumn often do - and at about the same time. Early in the year, Lori graciously agreed to step into the role of SBG's Office Manager, a position that came with big shoes to fill after the resignation of long-time employee and friend, Cami. Additionally, new administrative responsibilities fluttered into Nancy's role which she thankfully did not choose to sweep away, but rather embrace. So we end this year extremely grateful for the 'pile of leaves' now resting comfortably under the SBG tree. (Incidentally, our Safety Officer strictly prohibits any jumping in it)

Last, but not least, this month Gulf Coast Oil and Gas Company will join a number of our other companies who consolidated their leases into the pool which now holds the majority of our oil and gas interests: Realeza, Trabajo, and Tierra Del Spear. Come on in, Gulf Coast, the water is fine! (considering the plunging price of oil, the water is not only fine, but investing in it may in fact be more profitable)

SBG welcomes back Nelson, who spent the first five months of 2015 in Austin serving the Texas Legislature (specifically the office of Fort Worth State Senator, Konni Burton). While there, he played a key role in the crafting and passage of a bill that would greatly reduce the amount of superfluous paperwork Texas teachers are currently drowning in (yes, you heard right, it is an attorney-initiated measure to reduce paperwork).  He also helped to craft and pass several resolutions including one that encourages the soon-to-be-relocating US Africa Command to make their new home here in the Lone Star State (miles and miles of land currently available because... well, it is Texas).  Now, with the long days of wrestling politicians and traffic behind him, Nelson returns to Midland, glad for the experience and ready to rejoin the normal, serene work environment at SBG.  Welcome back, Soldier.

When a newsletter from Faith Comes by Hearing arrived this month with a story about the "End of the Spear," it captured, not surprisingly, our immediate attention. Upon further reading (fortunately, the article included pictures), we were relieved to discover the reference was to a compelling movie about the Waorani people of Ecuador, and not the code name for an assassination plot against the Spear brothers. According to the article, when FCBH provided the Waorani's their first audio bible this summer they were greeted with a reception far more pleasant than the one received by a group of Americans that visited them in 1956 (all deceased, 1956). Greatly heartened to know the full explanation, SBG recently greeted Ken Edwards of FCBH with a likewise pleasant reception, even allowing him full access to a set of sharp silverware at lunch. (Any push to accelerate finalization of SBG's Disaster Recovery Plan would be purely coincidental at this time.)

What do rifles, fishing rods and castrations all have in common?  While a valid first guess would be that they all represent fragments of Shane and Nelson's collective childhood memories, they are also part of the boy-to-man experience at a unique camp in Snyder, Texas called "Ranch at the Crossroad."  Over lunch today we learned that young men hand-picked by coaches at the local high school spend a week each summer at this camp, wrestling with all of these activities (plus a steer or two) while building character traits like respect and honor.  Sensing an imminent enrollment request, ranch director, Dave Bilderback, quickly directed us to one of his YouTube inspirational videos instead.

SBG welcomes pastors and staff from Mid-Cities Community Church who will be occupying empty office space on our floor while space of their own is being arranged.  Although the senior pastor claims that this temporary residency is intended to assist Mid-Cities in maintaining church operations during their office transition, we have to wonder if the antics of the Spear brothers have finally reached a level commensurate with the necessity of constant spiritual supervision.