‘Beloved community’ honors man who has autism

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

Larry Stream has been a familiar fixture in the balcony seats at Mayflower Congregational Church UCC since he was a teen.

Stream, who has autism, remained faithful to the United Church of Christ congregation, which meets at 3901 NW 63, after the deaths of his parents, who were longtime members.

Now in his 50s, the Oklahoma City man arrived at church Sunday to find a surprise awaited him.

Mayflower, led by the Rev. Robin Meyers, held “Larry Wyatt Stream Sunday” in his honor. Instead of sitting in the balcony, Stream, 58, made his way down the aisle to a seat of honor. When Meyers stood at the altar to offer Communion to the congregation, Stream, as the day’s VIP, stood alongside him.

“This Sunday reminded me of church at its best,” Meyers said. “Larry Stream is a great example of how we welcome someone into the beloved community.”

Retired schoolteacher Carolyn Crepps, Stream’s legal guardian, said he smiled a lot and seemed to enjoy all the extra attention, particularly when songs from his favorite musical, “The Sound of Music,” were played throughout the service. In other tributes, the flowers that adorned the sanctuary were red, Stream’s favorte color. Also, a church member spoke to the crowd about one of Stream’s favorite pastimes, called “the circle game,” which he likes to play with everyone he meets. The game tests a person’s peripheral vision and motor skills.

“It was an extraordinary day and a wonderful sermon with a lesson that everyone has a

— Romans 15:1 The Rev. Robin Meyers, senior pastor of Mayflower Congregational Church UCC, prepares to serve Communion with the help of longtime church member Larry Stream, during worship Sunday at the church, 3901 NW 63.

Terry Bavousette, a member of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, stirs a pot of beef stew in a 40-gallon tilt skillet as part of disaster relief efforts in Baton Rouge, La.