CLC Parkersburg, WV
 

Christian Life Center in Parkersburg WV now has a web site.
I didn't realize this until earlier this evening when Neckstadt emailed me with the url.

To find the church site, go to:
http://wvclc.net/contact.html

The pastor is Delton Smith.
He has been there for quite a few years now.
We were there to visit them in June 1990.
That was the only time I've been to Parkersburg.

Delton Smith is married to my wife's cousin, Jean.
Jean's mother and my wife's mother were sisters.

Here is the website for his son Terry. it looks like he has a great thing going on In Jew Jersey.

http://www.tlcc.org/Home.html

It looks like Tonya is at her dads church.

I saw her in one of the photos on the site.

Anyone with any info on her.

My wife is interested because she went to school with her...

Nathan Eckstadt

The last time that I talked to Terry Smith was in 1992 shortly after the Gen. Conference. We had a long phone conversation. He is a VICTIM of the Affirmation Statement which he could not in good conscience sign.

I would say that the Parkersburg church is atypical of the UPCs that I am familiar with. Perhaps this is the coming new norm or perhaps Dad will soon step aside and the church will soon follow the path of the "victimized" son.

Either way, churches like this one is one of the key motivators of Tulsa... much more so than Resolution 4.

I am not judging Delton Smith nor the Parkersburg church.
I believe Delton is a fine man, a man of God, and that whatever he does is in the fear of God. I've only been to that church once. That was in June of 1990. At that time the folks there looked like "typical" OP's. At that time they were not using song books or hymnals but had switched to choruses with the words on a screen. Delton had rented a monitor to view something on vhs tape --I don't remember now what it was-- but he let us know that this was not a tv receiver because it could only play tapes. Pastor Eddie Kozar (from Ironton, OH) happened to be there that day also. His wife was a step sister to Delton's wife. Pastor Kozar mentioned that he had purchased tapes from a recent UPC conference for his mother to watch. So, at that time it seems that both Pastor Kozar and Pastor Smith were in compliance with the UPC ban on tv.

I live about 30 minutes away from DS church. I frequented that church as a teenager during DS's early years as pastor. He preached my best friend's funeral. We have spoken a few times in social settings. I haven't been able to visit his church the past few years, but I have contact with people who go to that church. The guy is a class act. DS inherited a circus when he came to Parkersburg. People left the church over the name change. People left when he decided to remodel the sanctuary. People left when he decided to preach to stop preaching from the manual. He took a church so entrenched in non-essentials and transformed that into a powerhouse.

DS has been accused of being a charismatic by at least a couple of district officials I know. Could explain why the urgency of planting upci churches within 5 miles of CLC.

Since DS became pastor of that church, 3 upci churches were started within 15 miniutes of that church and one aljc changed affiliations. 90% of their church growth comes form disgruntled clc alumni.

While other churches in that area are hiding their candles under bushels, DS is reaching not only his city, but in neighboring areas as well. While other won't associate with people outside thier spiritual race, DS was asked by the mayor to lead the city in prayer at the National Day of Prayer. DS prayer is still being talked about years after as being one of the most powerful prayers at that service.

The rest of the upci churches in that area are wannabe's. I'll have to visit the CLC website and pay homage to a great man and a great church.

You are more dillusional than I thought. DS church should be the typical upc church, not some sort of self righteous non biblical hoedown you seem to prefer.