Just like Floridians and storms, California residents are generally accustomed to the potential for dangerous fires but rarely do those fires impact so many in such a short period of time. Unusually high winds in and around Los Angeles County over the last week or so have led to wildfires in a series of locales with devastating consequences. As of this writing, 25 fatalities have been confirmed, and 150,000 residents are under evacuation orders. Most of unincorporated Altadena, just north of the LA suburb Pasadena, has been completely wiped out. Between the Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst fires, more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed, including homes, businesses, and churches. Among the many communities affected by these dangerous and deadly fires are several Covenant churches in the greater Los Angeles area.
Among them is Pastor Stephen Wong, lead pastor at Pasadena Covenant Church, a historic congregation that celebrated 100 years of ministry in 2022. Wong was one of the many families forced to evacuate last Tuesday evening after the high winds started up and his neighborhood lost power. He was picking up his son when he noticed helicopters flying in the winds and wondered why anyone would be flying in such hazardous conditions. “Then I noticed this huge plume [of smoke] in the distance. As I got a little closer… it was red.” The fires were small at first, but by 3:30 am the following morning, he and all of his neighbors were being warned to evacuate.
The next day, Wong, along with Andrew Mark, pastor for families and community at the church, teamed up with other leaders and began crowdsourcing a spreadsheet with the locations of all the folks in their community, the condition of their residences, and what their immediate needs were. Because many of their folks had temporarily relocated to the Pasadena Convention Center, Wong eventually joined Mark there, who was already at work ministering to folks and strengthening connections.
“I was talking to one kid and saying, ‘What do you want to do?’ And someone had just set up a crafting table with some Legos, and her eyes lit up.” Wong convinced his 13-year-old son to relinquish his collection of Legos, and together they recruited others to join in the effort and brought them to the center, so the many kids of displaced families could have what he called “a corner of joy.”
Wong says he’s grateful for healthy relationships with the staff team, trustees, and other community members. He also consulted with some of the pastors from Redwood Covenant Church, who had been through a similar forest fire ordeal. “You don’t wait to build relationships until there’s a crisis. That’s not the time. You build a network, and then when crisis comes, people can fall in.” As an example, he mentioned Mark’s connections with the Pasadena Job Center, which works with migrant workers. “We’d had relationships with them, doing food distribution with them since back in COVID,” said Wong, “because they’re family too. As soon as the fires happened, they were out there with their chainsaws and shovels and machetes, trying to help clear the way.”
As far as Wong knows, the Pasadena Covenant building and property haven’t suffered much damage from the fire, but they’re still assessing the situation. Still, they were hesitant to hold services on Sunday, because they weren’t sure whether people would be able to travel back to the area, and they wanted to keep the roads clear for helpers and other responders. So they pivoted to a brief online service at 10 am. They included a time for lament, breakout sections where people could pray with one another, and a time to pray for the city overall. “It felt really surreal to be back on Zoom,” said Wong, “But the pandemic had already primed people for what to expect.” For those who really needed the human connection, they held a smaller gathering in person that afternoon at their former sanctuary before renovation.
That Sunday, Wong told his people that he felt woefully inadequate. The stories he had to listen to were heartbreaking. “I didn’t think it would reach us,” one member said, “and now everything is gone.” Wong said one member described checking on their fine china after the fire and seeing it dissolve into ash. Many families needed drinking water because the aerosolized asbestos from all the burned buildings had contaminated the local water supply.
Still, there were moments of beauty and serenity amidst the devastation. One member said the fire had been so hot that their fine crystal had melted all over their silverware, forming a beautiful makeshift sculpture.
On Friday, Wong brought food to four families who were staying together in one large house. “I went to check in on the parents, and they all seemed so relaxed. I asked, ‘You guys okay?’ and they were like, ‘Well, we don’t have to parent!’ The kids were playing with each other, and the teenagers were hanging out with each other. Everyone was taking care of one another. It was just like the Acts 2 church, where people shared what they had in common.”
Seeing those small moments reminded Wong of an important truth. “I told them, ‘These stupid, stupid tragedies are not God-forsaken. They’re God-filled.’”
Melody Johnson, who serves the Pacific Southwest Conference doing credentialing work and liaising with churches and pastors, is a native Californian. The two fires a few miles away from her residence were successfully extinguished, so she didn’t have to evacuate. But she knows many who did.
“We have so many pastors and congregants in this LA area that I’ve just been checking in on people nonstop,” said Johnson. Not only the 15 to 20 families who have lost their homes but also other congregants who were temporarily homeless because they weren’t allowed back into their neighborhoods for several days. Among the other leaders and churches affected in one way or another are Camille Wooden, pastor of Abundant Life Covenant in Pasadena, Pastor Marcelo Alvarado of Dunamis in Pasadena, Pastor Roberto Ghione of Iglesia Nueva Esperanza in Simi Valley, Pastor Pablo Anabalon of Iglesia del Pacto in Eagle Rock, and Transitional Pastor Olivia Polanco of Iglesia del Pacto in Bell Gardens. Many of them are part of a local coalition of community clergy who stay connected and coordinate efforts.
Ramelia Williams, director of ministry initiatives for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) mission priority, was compelled to act when she heard about the fires.
“Seeing images of fire embers floating through the air like snowflakes, hearing about elementary school buildings burning down, knowing the extravagantly housed and unhoused alike are scrambling for shelter while breathing polluted air—whole communities are decimated,” said Williams. “Because we are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, as a Covenant family we grieve with these communities in the midst of trauma caused by loss, crisis, and utter devastation.”
“In collaboration with the pastors and leaders of the Pacific Southwest Conference,” Williams continued, “LMDJ will be responding to the LA wildfires through the Domestic Disaster Relief Fund. Please give generously as you are able. Learn more about how your church can respond to natural disasters.”
To help respond to the needs of Covenanters in LA County and nationwide, click here to donate to the Domestic Disaster Relief Fund.
