“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is
no path and leave a trail.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
What are your hopes and dreams for this congregation?
Founded in 1921, the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of Tulsa Oklahoma adopted its bicentennial vision on August 26, 2010 for the year 2021 and it is inspiring.
They called it, Love Beyond Belief…
Our church is an embodiment and celebration of the world as we hope it will one day become. A climate of profound hospitality, love, and acceptance radiates from our campus and our members. Our sanctuary is bursting with people from a diversity of theologies, philosophies, ethnicities, cultures, colors, classes, abilities, generations, sexual orientations, and political persuasions, all dwelling together in peace, seeking the truth in love, and helping one another. Our compassion is reflected in our actions to care for one another, our neighbors, and the environment. Our religious education involves all ages and aims at connecting heads, hearts, and hands.
Since 1921, All Souls Tulsa has become the largest UU church in the United States, This didn’t just happen and it absolutely wasn’t without risk. Here’s what happened:
In 2008, All Souls in Tulsa welcomed into their church a predominately African American congregation of 300 Pentecostal Universalists formerly led by Bishop Carlton Pearson. Since that time All Souls has created new worship styles and opportunities to meet the needs of a church that is growing in racial and theological diversity.
Some folks didn’t like the “new” All Souls Church, so they left. But, the church couldn’t help but grow with its radical hospitality. Marlin says he was in the right place and the right time. He also admits that he was young, white, and male when he was called to All Souls. Marlin is not one to boast because he knows that All Souls is not so much the product of having the “right” minister, instead it is the willingness of the people to stretch, grow, commit, and get uncomfortable. Marlin was doing his job and living his faith when he welcomed Carlton Person’s congregation into the fold of All Souls. The people at All Souls are the ones who made it possible.
What is your vision for the future of UUCC? James Baldwin says, “To act is to be committed, and to be committed is to be in danger. From this perspective, the important question about risk (and about life) is not “Are you willing to jump off?” but “Are you willing to jump in?” Not “Are you willing to put yourself in danger?” but “Are you willing to give yourself to something bigger?” Not “Will you be daring?” but “Will you stay true?” (Soul Matters, 2017)
Are you ready to Love Beyond Belief?
In faith,
Cathy