Sands Springs pastor grateful after learning of Falwell's support

By Carla Hinton

Published: May 19, 2007

SAND SPRINGS — The pastor of a small black church in Sand Springs never met or talked to the Rev. Jerry Falwell, but Falwell wrote about the preacher in his "Listen America” column posted on the Internet.

In January 2006, Falwell wrote that Sand Springs was threatening to use eminent domain to tear down the Rev. Roosevelt Gildon's Centennial Baptist Church to make way for a shopping plaza.

"I've never met Rev. Gildon — or ‘Rosey' as his friends call him — but as a pastor of nearly 50 years, I can imagine the feeling of helplessness this man must be experiencing. ... This is an alarming development, one that should send shivers down the spine of any pastor reading this column,” Falwell wrote.

Contacted Tuesday after Falwell's death had been made public, Gildon said he was not aware of Falwell's column and had no idea the prominent minister and conservative crusader had championed his church's cause.

"I thank God that the pastors that have larger churches and the media attention have the gumption to stand up and say something,” Gildon said.

In his column, Falwell said he planned to pray for the Oklahoma pastor and his beleaguered church.

"In the meantime, my prayers are with Rev. Gildon and his congregation,” Falwell wrote. "They should be afforded the right to remain at their present location so that they can serve God and fully minister to their community.”

Tuesday, Gildon said the church has not heard anything recently about the proposed shopping plaza. He said he was just pleasantly surprised that a minister of Falwell's stature took an interest in the issue.

"I thank God that he spoke up. Now, we need other people to step up and say this is wrong.”