This morning I had decided not to even try to take a GPS with me. I had carefully written down the instructions off Mapquest for how to get to Santa Cruz Friends Meeting. Fortunately I left home over an hour and a half early to head there. Unfortunately, I was 15 minutes late getting there because I got a little lost again, but at least this time I did make it there! And I’m glad I did.
When I walked in, I noticed that there were some young people, but there were also a number of elderly people and someone in a wheelchair. I knew that this was going to be a different experience from last week. This is also an unprogrammed meeting, but for today, at least, a number of people rose and spoke. Apparently they’ve just had Pacific Yearly Meeting, and several people spoke about the insights they got there. Someone rose and sang a song spontaneously. Someone made a prayer request. I had the sense that this meeting is as close to my experience at Reedwood as I may get. These people seem to be “weightier” Friends than the folks at San Jose Friends Meeting. Those folks were nice, and I like what they were doing for the homeless, but I felt more comfortable with these Friends.
I still have 2 other churches I want to visit before I make a final decision. Both of them are in San Francisco, about 50 miles away. I don’t know that I want to travel that far on a weekly basis, but I want to take this opportunity to see what’s out there, before I settle down in one place.
It occurred to me on my way this morning, that if it snows this winter, there may be Sunday’s when I won’t be able to get down to church. One of the roads I took to get down off the mountain today was a steep, windy road that often was only a single lane wide. It’s bad enough in the summer, but I can imagine what it would be like this winter!
One of the men who greeted me after worship this morning (there were women who greeted me too!), told me he works at a Quaker retreat center in Ben Lomond, which I guess is at the base of my mountain on the ocean side. He said they have silent worship every morning except Sunday’s there, so I might go check that out some week day morning.
I am missing my F/friends at Reedwood. I tried writing a letter to Virginia Smith but haven’t heard back from her. I hope she’s OK. I would have loved to go to Catherine Olson’s baby shower. I hope someone can send me pictures! I miss Dea and Lois Cox, my adopted parents. I miss Ken and Brandon and Mario and the ministry they’ve been offering. There are so many that I miss that I can’t name them all. Capi is the only one from Reedwood I’ve heard from since I arrived in Los Gatos. I hope others will write to me too!