All Souls Unitarian Church Plans Move To Downtown

A longtime Tulsa church will be constructing a new building and moving its congregation downtown.

In 2011, the church was gifted land near 6th and Frankfort and Sunday night - the congregation voted that it is time to build a new church here. 

"There is a huge new surge of energy downtown," said Bishop Carlton Pearson. "It is like Tulsa is coming back starting Downtown and I think we need to be right in the middle of it." 

So, that is exactly what All Souls Unitarian Church plans to do.

The almost 100-year-old congregation has worshiped near 29th and Peoria for decades.

But, now they feel it is time to build new and to take advantage of all the people moving downtown.

"There are a lot of folks who don't go to church anywhere and they don't realize there is a church like ours. You have all different types of people where there is freedom of belief and it is really a multi-faith church," said Marlin Lavanhar. 

Pearson said being downtown also puts them closer to the north side of Tulsa and they have a strong desire to, "see African Americans feel more comfortable mixing in worship."

The goal is to begin a capital campaign now and have the new church ready to go for All Souls' 100th birthday coming up in four years.

"It is an exciting place to be - a place for the 21st Century - Tulsa," said Lavanhar. 

There will also be 100 more parking spaces at the new church than what they currently have near 29th and Peoria.