This Sunday (September 4th), I visited Iglesia Batuista de Petaluma (The Baptist Church of Petaluma), a Spanish Baptist Church that meets at 200 East Ely Blvd South. (They lease the facility where Eastside Church meets - their service meets at 9 a.m., and Eastside meets at 11 a.m.) They had about 60 in attendance.
Nelson Choto pastors the church. He was born in Central America (Guatemala I think). He graduated from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and served as an assistant pastor at Petaluma Valley Baptists for several years before leading Iglessia Bautista. He seems to always be exuberant with joy and delivers good sermons.
Most Hispanics tend to be Catholics, or have a Catholic background. So it interersting to be in a church where a mostly Hispanic Baptist congregation usually carries their Bible and seem to be ready to discuss, or refer, to the Bible at the drop of a hat. However, most touching is the open love displayed - at the greeting time, everyone in the church made a point of going around and greeting everyone in the church, sometimes with a handshake, but usually with a firm embracing hug (abrazo).
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