Tulsa church celebrates 80 years: 'It’s my second family'

A Tulsa church is celebrating 80 years next month.

Beams of Light Family Church at 17th and Harvard is inviting people back, who may have moved away, for a special celebration.

A smaller congregation

At Beams of Light Family Church, there is a small but faithful group in the pews every Sunday.

Brian Tarpenning is the Senior Pastor. He's been there for 30 years.

"I was called to be here, and I've never felt that feeling that I should go anywhere else,” he said.

He said the church is nondenominational.

"I realized that there were former Baptists, former Catholics, former Methodists, who all just kind of flock together, you know. What I tell everybody is we're just a Bible preaching, Bible believing church,” Tarpenning said.

A lifelong member

Barbara Barto has been there since day one.

"It was just home,” Barto said.

At just 14 years old, she was at the first service in 1944 in what is now the church’s basement. The church was dedicated in 1945, the same year the sanctuary was built.

Barto would later meet her husband, Charlie. For 10 years of the church’s 80-year history, she and Charlie were youth pastors.

Now, at 94, she drives four miles from home to make it to church every Sunday.

"It's my second family,” she said. “It's been a wonderful ministry here at Beams all these years."

Memories and Pictures

The church has overcome a fire, a bad windstorm, and tragedy in 1953, when Tarpenning and Barto said Pastor OW Webb died in a crash.

But through it all, Barto said, members had each other.

She pointed out several members’ names in old pictures from the 50s and 60s.

"In fact, several of them have called me on my birthday,” she said. “Lots of them have sent me cards and things like that. They still remember me. And Charlie, but Charlie's gone now.”

BARBARA: "Look at all the little ladies down here; they all have hats on.”

AMY: “Different style.”

BARBARA: “Different style back then, yes."

While styles have changed, the faith of church members has stood for eight decades.

"Just anxious to see what the Lord has for us, coming up next,” Barto said. “It's gonna be wonderful."

Special Service

The church will have a special service on September 14th at 10 a.m. to mark the anniversary.

Pastor Tarpenning is expecting about 200 people for an extended worship service and a big meal together.