I was reborn at the 24 Hour Church Of Elvis. The Church Reborn A Few Years Ago But Has Died Again Except Online.

Rebirth of the 24 Hour Church of Elvis in Portland, Oregon, USA (this was before it died again) The 24 Hour Church of Elvis is Born Again Online and in a Store Front in Portland, Oregon Lex Loeb Contributor Network . The Church of Elvis has re-appeared in Portland after having mysteriously disappeared for several years. II has a new street level store front display that will soon be coin operated and fully computer interactive on 408 NW Couch Street. The store front is currently still in progress. For all those unable to make it to Portland, Oregon to Experience the 24 hour church of Elvis it is now also online at http://www.24hourchurchofelivs.com . Official Church T-shirts and other items are available by mail order from this online site. When the store front is finished it is likely to have a commodore run computer set up that allows couples to get married by depositing coins or who knows, even bills and credit cards and receive the wedding vows, general ceremony and wedding rings from a commodore powered robotic vending machine. The store front is actually being built in a the shell of an old elevator shaft that has been glazed over as a window only store front. The creator of the 24 hour church of Elvis is Stephanie G. Pierce who came up with the idea probably over 15 years ago after returning from NYC where she worked as a licensed corporate attorney. Here first gallery was "Where's the Art" and did not contain the 24 hour church at that point but it did have the hall of art horror and the atomobile. Stevie went back to NYC and then returned to town and opened what became the first 24 hour church of Elvis in a different store front than the original gallery. It immediately became a big hit in town. Later she re-located again in an upstairs location and mostly performed weddings for $7 for the "cheap but not legal ceremony" Stevie managed to get both locations in most tour books of the City including Frommers . The Church of Elvis became a magnet for couples to pretend to get married and it also preformed a number of legal weddings that had a cost starting from $25 on up. The Church of Elvis became counter culture ground zero in Portland every time it opened., It was the unlikely institution that really was and is again. People surfing on line and finding the www.24hourchurchofelvis.com site may not realize that it is a real place and not just an Internet confabulation. That is part of its charm. Little do most people know, but the 24 hour Church of Elvis really has nothing to do with Elvis. Worshiping Elvis is not even the point of the religion. Stephanie does manage to get the phone number listed as a church in the yellow pages.. That probably makes it a serious religion by phone company telephone directory standards. At one time I was given the title of deacon , one of several , in the Church but really never figured out my responsibilities in that position. The 24 hour Church of Elvis might even someday become a franchise something like subway restaurants where every city on the planet can have an outlet. I would be tempted to open a franchise if I lived in a place like San Francisco because that definitely is a city that needs a new kind of Church. Why a Church of Elvis? Why television? When in Portland do try and visit the place and at least glance at the windows even if you are too cheap to put a quarter in. Stephanie is fond of saying if you are too cheap to spend a quarter or two maybe you should go to Nordstroms instead? I am inclined to agree. For those who can't afford cheap quality art it's probably time for them to whip out their credit cards and go to Nordstroms instead. Watching the reactions of people on the street discovering the 24 Hour Church of Elvis for the first time is part of the fun. There are even a few people who take genuine offense to the place. That does not phase Stephanie in the least bit, she has years of experience dealing with Elvis purists and with people who are insulted because the place is called a "church". On Elvis's birthday and the anniversary day of his death Stevie can receive telephone numbers from radio station hosts across the nation to get the official word from the Church. The 24 hour church of Elvis creates it's own reality. Stevie is the founder of an art movement in Portland and beyond that is about creating artificial reality which is an art form that most of the art community has no clue to understanding. The 24 hour Church of Elvis has long been one of my favorite works of art but it really is a shame that so few professional artists ever get to understand what is really going on there. Stevie has forever been ahead of her time as a pioneering artist and really never gets credit for it except from me. I happen to be strident follower in the movement I attribute to her. Often I get a lot of flack for copying her which is hardly the case in reality. The photo below is one of my coin operated un-reality machines. I do have to admit she has long been a mentor of mine and that I cannot really compete with her. If you want a telepathic message just deposit a telephathic quarter so it gets to me on line and I will know what you are thinking because just just got my telephathic message as promised.. .