Pacifica residents, Ekklesia pastors hold church services
Residents at Pacifica Senior Living in Newhall were warmly received by pastors and members of Ekklesia Christian Community Church for services on Sunday.
In the event held on the second and fourth Sundays every month, Pastor Carthel Towns provides a PowerPoint presentation with easy-to-read Bible readings, as well as lyrics to familiar songs so residents can sing along.
Over time, Pacifica has looked for churches to bring their own services for residents on Sundays and lead Bible study classes on Thursdays, such as Elevate Church’s services on the third Saturday of each month.
The relationship between Pacifica and Ekklesia began in February, said Executive Pastor Monique Iverson.
“It was Valentine’s Day,” she said. “We wanted to do something in the community, so we decided to come over to Pacifica on Valentine’s Day. We gave every resident a chocolate-covered rose.”
Ekklesia, which was established last year and holds services at the Hilton Garden Inn Valencia, strives to further connect with the community and other churches in the Santa Clarita Valley. The church’s goal is to go beyond simply the four walls of a church, Iverson said.
“The one thing that our mission, our vision and our goal is to honor that and that is to be able to go without the four walls of the church and to be able to fellowship, whether it’s at Pacifica Senior Living or it’s fellowshipping with another church,” she said.
Michelle Moore, a newer resident to Pacifica, was enthusiastic about Ekklesia’s services.
“It’s really great in what they do,” she said. “They’re very accepting, and I appreciate what they do for us.”
“It’s truly amazing of the knowledge and wisdom that the residents give us as far as what transpired in the Bible,” Iverson said. “But it’s just really encouraging that they actually welcome us here each time that we come.”