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God’s Gold in Sonora
ccording to the sign that greets people coming into town, Sonora is considered the Queen of the Southern Mines in Gold Rush Country. Starting in 1848, panning and mining gold brought people to this foothill area, about one hour from Yosemite. A little over 70 years later, on April 23, 1921, an Adventist church was established. Continuing to “pan for God’s gold” over 100 years later, there are over 900 members in Sonora’s Discover Life church, with Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy (MLAJA) adjacent to the church building, and Adventist Health Sonora, a 152-bed hospital, not too far away. On October 14-15, 2022, the Adventist community was finally able to celebrate the blessings that God has poured out in Sonora over the last 100 years. The pandemic was a factor in the delay for the 100th anniversary celebration. Because the facility was
“The VBS was so exciting. I loved seeing our own youth leading out. They took responsibility, and it is amazing how well it ran. I feel like God reached the community through the kids.”
32 Pacific Union Recorder
Central California Conference
basically closed to in-person services during this time, it became an opportunity to completely renovate the church. When Nathan Renner, the senior pastor for the last 13 years, left for his new assignment in Tennessee in the fall of 2021, Danita Rasmussen, interim pastor, relied on social media to provide church services. As was often said during this time period, the church wasn’t closed, just the building. In April of 2022, just about the time that things were opening up and church services could once more be held, Pastor Jim Berglund and his wife, Shelly, came from Texas to be the new senior pastor. Changes also included Tyson Kahler and his family, who arrived in September from Minnesota to be the youth pastor. Both pastors can testify that Sonora certainly does “pan for God’s gold,” and they are delighted to begin plans for some very important church activities. Although Pastor Berglund is noted for his illustrated and thoughtful sermons, the students at MLAJA will tell you that he can beat them at four square. They also know him as the train conductor at the well-planned, youth-directed summer VBS program. Reflecting on how Sadie Gomez, a senior in high school, led out in VBS, Berglund said, “The VBS was so exciting. I loved seeing our own youth leading out. They took responsibility, and