Pastor at this church preaches from bar stool

Monday, March 24, 2008

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The Saloonatics meet every Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Coconuts Comedy Club on Gulf To Bay in Clearwater. Watch the story Watch Video

PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- It's a church with a twist.

The church members wear leather, the pastor preaches from a bar stool, the choir is on the comedy stage and a comedian is part of the program.

The Saloonatics meet every Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Coconuts Comedy Club on Gulf To Bay in Clearwater.

These bikers call themselves saloonatics because of their Saloon Salvation Ministry for The Watering Hole Church.

"It's come as you are," said Watering Hole Church Pastor Paul White. "Because we have a lot of bikers, you are going to see people with the beards and the tattooed sleeved arms. And, you know, a lot of leather."

The Watering Hole Church founders started their ministry as a biker church two years ago.

They reach their members by preaching in bars. They now have 150 members and 40 percent of them are non-bikers.

E-mail TV reporter Kathryn Simmons

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The Salvation Saloon

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