About our Pastor:

           
Karla Norton was born in San Jose and raised in Soquel. As a long-time resident of Santa Cruz County, Rev. Norton well understands the challenges of living in this unique and wonderful part of the world. Prior to feeling the call to ordained ministry, she was a clinical laboratory scientist and laboratory manager for many years. She graduated from San Francisco Theological Seminary in December 2003 and is a Doctorate of Ministry candidate in pastoral care and counseling. She is currently working on her dissertation which is entitled “From Lament to Shalom, Healing the Image of God in Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.”

Karla is passionate about justice issues of all kinds. She says, “I believe that Jesus is the most complete revelation of who God is. In relation to Jesus I come to know what it is to be most fully human. God’s love for us is mediated through the Holy Spirit, who enlivens and empowers us. God made us to be relational beings, and we find our greatest fulfillment in relationship to one another. We are called to live out our life in God in community, where we share our joys, our burdens and our lives in grateful thanksgiving to the One who created us and who sustains us. Our proper response to God’s love is to live out that love in all our relationships and to work for justice and liberation of all of creation. It is my greatest joy to work together with others for the fulfillment of God’s reign on earth.

She lives with her husband Wayne, who also grew up in the Santa Cruz area. Their daughter Casey is a recent graduate of Knox College in Illinois and is currently living in Aptos.