Christ Church
United Methodist

The new Fellowship group invites the congregation to share time together, eating, playing, visiting, or engaging in activities. There will be a balance between going on hikes or picnics, or sharing potlucks and barbeques at the church. The Sunday trips will leave after worship. Other times will be announced.

Here are some of the past events...

Canine Companions for Independence Tour - Monday, August 30, 2004

Canine Companions for Independence is a nationally known non-profit organization that breeds and trains service dogs for people with disabilities. Its national headquarter is right here in Santa Rosa.

This one-and-half hour tour took us around the Charles Schultz Campus, visited the facilities provided for the dogs and for team-training for people and their canine companions. Also that morning, we saw the arrival of a litter of 8-weeks old puppies from the volunteer breeder's home. And they were cute ! ! !

After the tour, we had a picnic lunch on their beautiful picnic playground. 

Hiking at Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa - Sunday, September 26, 2004

Elaine Walter lead an intermediate level hike to Ledson Marsh at Annadel State Park immediately after the Sunday worship service. This four-and-half mile trail which leads to the marsh will go through the less explored part of the park. Walking under the cool shades of the woods, they enjoyed the spectacular view of the Valley of the Moon. The hike took approximately 3 hours.

Visit to the Geysers - Saturday, April 24, 2004

The Geysers is the largest Geothermal Electric Development Project in the world  It has been a reliable source of “green” energy for over 40 years, right here in our own back yard.

The Geysers were in the news last December when the Geysers Waste Water Project, a Santa Rosa City Project, started operation. Treated waste water is sent to the Geysers geothermal field where it is injected underground. At a specific point the responsibility of that water is transferred from the city to Calpine and NCPA, companies who own and operate the steam field and power plants at the Geysers.

With time, the waste water is heated by the hot rocks and eventually returns as additional steam along with indigenous steam. Steam is produced by way of the numerous steam wells that have been drilled into the earth.  The wells are hooked up to a pipeline gathering system that transports the steam to electric power generating plants.  There the steam spins a turbine that is connected to the generator thereby generating electricity. At the Geysers there is no specific place where waste water steam is segregated from the natural steam. On the Geysers tour, we saw how this geothermal steam has been produced and electricity is made.

For more information about the Geysers wastewater project, go to SFGate.com.

We travelled to the Geysers by car pool and bus. The trip was from 10 am - 3 pm with a picnic lunch at the Geysers. Ted Wilmsen, a member of Christ Church who previously worked at the Geysers, gave a guided tour of the facilities.