August 8 was Rev. Loran Mann’s birthday and it was fitting that on this day he celebrated with his wife, Barbara, and hundreds of friends and family at the Churchill Valley Country Club.
This was no ordinary celebration. This was a look in the rear view mirror of a 40-year journey from a little church on Laketon Road in Wilkinsburg to a 2.5 acre site in East Liberty that is now the home of Pentecostal Temple.
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| DYNAMIC DUO AND CHILDREN—Loran Mann Jr., Barbara Mann, Rev. Loran Mann and Tiona Mann.
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The members spoke about their former church that had no air conditioning, limited seating and even fewer parking spaces. The entire evening was a history lesson on the beginnings of Pentecostal Temple. In 1969 the call was extended by another denomination to Loran Mann to become pastor of First Baptist Church of Braddock Hills. When Rev. Mann left that church 19 members left with him and that was the beginning of Pentecostal Temple. After bouncing around for a while they landed at 1675 Laketon Rd. in 1971.
Many members testified that there is no place like home when it comes to Pentecostal Temple. Reverend Mann even told the story of meeting his wife, one of the Herron Trio, and how her fabulous black shoes with the zipper up the middle caught his eye. She was engaged at the time he met her, however, time can change all things and they married May 11, 1974. Her brother, Charles Herron, says there was something about that Loran Mann and now his sister and Rev. Mann are the dynamic duo fighting the devil and impacting lives.
Reverend Morris Mann from Detroit says the future is so much brighter than the past for the congregation. During the banquet Mrs. Mann blessed the audience with her gifted talent of song. The Manns thanked the many family members that joined them on this most joyous occasion.
Prior to the Aug. 8 event, services included worship with Bishop James M. Foster, from Trinity COGIC, McKeesport, Pa.; Rev. Linwood Lewis, Rev. Jason Barr, Bishop Cornelius Showell from Bible Way Church of Our Lord, Baltimore, Md. and concluded on Aug. 9 with Bishop Alfred A. Owens of Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church, Washington, D.C.
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