I appreciate so much about Bishop Carlton Pearson’s ministry, and I honor the unusual path he traveled to arrive where he is today serving our UU Faith.  He was mentored by Oral Roberts and ordained first by the Pentecostal denomination and later was accepted as a United Church of Christ minister. In 2008 his ministry and his congregation became part of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa.  I commend All Souls Tulsa, and their senior minister Rev. Marlin Lavenhar, for inviting this evangelical minister into our UU Faith tradition and welcoming the gifts he brings and his unique ministry, even though the path he took to get here was not the one typical UU ministers take.

In this sermon Bishop Carlton Pearson talks about how our spirituality grows and changes throughout our lives.  He talks about how our “certainties” can paralyze us not only from personal growth, but also prevent us from offering authentic welcome to others.  He emphasizes that we see the divinity in each other and love each other “way beyond belief.”