A day at the Methodist Church

Today is my 34th wedding anniversery. It was also Sunday. Today I went to the Methodist Church where Jan attends and is a member.

I got a call this morning that informed me that Carlton Pearson would be preaching at All Souls. The plan was to hear Pearson and then go to Restoration (those of us who are members there) to discuss the sermon. Although I missed the sermon, most likely it will be uploaded to YouTube where anyone with a computer can see and hear it.

Pearson, for those of you unfamiliar with him, was a leader of a large non-denomination, charismatic congregation. Pearson made a move to universalism, but most of his congregation did not follow. I guess it is hard giving up hell. According to Pearson, God is too good to torture anyone. Most of his congregation did not agree with him and left the church. He was left with barely ten percent of his former numbers. The loss of members meant the loss of income. Soon the congregation was unable to make the mortgage payment on the property. Pearson lost his church.

The story was featured on the TV program "This American Life." I heard Pearson preach a few months back when his congregation (what remained of it) was "adopted" by All Souls Unitarian Church of Tulsa. The last I heard, there were two services at All Souls on Sunday morning -- a traditional (if there is such a thing) Unitarian service, and a Charismatic service with a lot of "soul." Pearson puts on a good show. I enjoy hearing him speak. The congregation has a great choir. The congregation was formerly called "Higher Dimensions." Now it is "New Dimensions."

Well I got off my telling about the Methodist Church today. The congregation now uses projection screens instead of hymnals. The message today related to giving as the congregation is now involved in building a new facility. The Family Life Center (on the south side of the river) is complete and is used from time to time. Services are still being held in the sanctuary north of the river. Tonight, after we took Luke and Ayla home, we ate at the Rib Crib and then went to the Family Life Center for watermelon.