“I recently had the privilege of serving as a Westwood Church lay member at the California-Pacific Annual Conference in La Quinta, CA. The theme of the conference was “Ending Spiritual & Physical Hunger: Astonish!” For me, it truly was an astonishing experience. I was initially overwhelmed by the large agenda and busy four-day schedule. It was evident that many, many people worked long and hard to plan all the activities and organize the work that needed to be accomplished. Thankfully, everyone was eager to help—whether it be finding a meeting room, figuring out the online voting, or making you feel welcome. I loved meeting so many passionate and dedicated people—Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, former WUMC clergy, members of predominantly Black churches, members of Pacific Island churches. The inspiring sermons and joyful music at the daily worship services left me feeling energized. A recurring message throughout the conference was that it takes each and every one of us to make a difference in the world. I left the conference feeling spiritually refreshed and eager to serve the communities around me. And, I felt happy and proud to be a member of WUMC.”