September 2023
Saturday, September 23, 2023
A flight to San Jose carried me to my first two stops in California. I enjoyed a pleasant midday conversation at the home of Pastor Ella Ray Toscano, whose congregation, New Pilgrim Fellowship of Rio Vista (#38) worships in an American Legion Hall. She also shares God’s Word through a weekly print column in the local newspaper.
The Congregational Church of Soquel (#39) lives out their commitment to the local community in distinctive ways. An ecumenical ministry providing showers to people in need occupies members on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The annual Taste of Soquel fills the church courtyard with music, food, and drink donated by local performers and businesses. I had fun serving chips and salsa and cheered with 400 other attendees when we learned that $13,000 was raised, enabling the local Second Harvest organization to serve 39,000 meals.