(RNS) — As firefighters start to get the California wildfires that triggered large destruction in and round Los Angeles below management, religion leaders and their communities have begun planning for a protracted, sluggish restoration whereas serving to victims of the fireplace with shelter, meals and different necessities.
Within the days because the fires started, Victory Bible Church in Pasadena has turn into a hub for distributing provides like meals, water and toiletries to victims of the fireplace. A few of these victims are members of the congregation, stated Jonathan DeCuir, pastor of Victory Bible.
“I’ve 42 members whose houses burned to the bottom,” he stated.
The church has began a hearth aid fund and a name middle the place individuals can dial in and ask for assist. It’s additionally gathering reward playing cards so victims should buy the provides they want — moderately than getting handouts. One thing about with the ability to buy the issues they want has been empowering to victims, stated DuCuir.
“We name that the dignity section,” he stated. “We’ve found that individuals wish to go into shops and purchase what they want.”
DeCuir stated Victory Church can be attempting to gather donations for laptops, iPads and different computer systems, as many individuals have misplaced the know-how they relied on for day-to-day life. The church has additionally helped hearth victims discover housing at native lodges and Airbnbs and is engaged on what DeCuir known as “sustainability plans” for the subsequent six months.
“We are attempting to offer individuals what they want and hold them housed till among the insurance coverage cash and FEMA help begins to return in,” he stated.
For DeCuir, who turned senior pastor of Victory Bible, a congregation of 700, a 12 months in the past, the previous week has been a crash course in how to answer a catastrophe. He stated he’s been maintaining linked to different church buildings in addition to metropolis officers by a Pasadena group known as the Clergy Group Coalition, which incorporates religion teams, charitable nonprofits and metropolis providers all working collectively.
“Our secret weapon is unity,” he stated. “That’s been our tagline right here. Our secret weapon has been the flexibility to return collectively and maintain one another up, spiritually and virtually.”
He additionally has been in contact with different clergy affected by the fireplace. To this point, he is aware of of a dozen pastors who misplaced houses to the fires and at the very least 9 church buildings that had been destroyed in Altadena and Pasadena.
The Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, pastor of Phrase of Encouragement Group Church and assistant director of public and group engagement on the Heart for Faith and Civic Tradition on the College of Southern California, stated her telephone has been ringing off the hook because the fires started.
Most of these telephone calls have been centered on connecting individuals who wish to donate assets to religion communities who get aid provides to individuals in want.
Folks impacted by current wildfires seek for clothes which may match at a donation middle at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photograph/Richard Vogel)
She stated religion communities in Los Angeles are likely to fall into two classes — these immediately affected by the fires and people outdoors the areas affected by the fireplace however who wish to assist. These religion teams in areas affected by the fireplace can ship direct help to individuals in want, however different church buildings nonetheless have a job to play.
“We’ve a mandate to not depart our brothers and sisters on the market hanging,” she stated.
She stated virtually each religion chief she is aware of is concerned ultimately. Many are gathering help, others are serving to church or group members discover housing, whereas nonetheless others are utilizing their social media to spotlight fundraising requests from these in want.
Smith-Pollard additionally stated there are a variety of formal networks of clergy and religion teams who’re working collectively to answer the wildfires, reminiscent of LA Voice and the Clergy Group Coalition in Pasadena, in addition to extra casual networks and friendships amongst religion leaders.
“I don’t know of any church buildings which might be working as Lone Rangers,” she stated. “We’re experiencing a second the place everyone seems to be working collectively.”
Smith-Pollard stated clergy are additionally starting to consider the long-term rebuilding after the fires, which would require billions in help and take years. For now, they’re encouraging these in communities affected by the fires to not make any rash selections in regards to the future. She worries older residents or these in a disaster due to the fireplace will find yourself making selections they’ll remorse later.
“We wish to help you, as a result of we don’t need you to really feel like you might be by yourself and no one is aware of your story — after which you find yourself giving your property up,” she stated. “Keep in your houses, preserve your property and we’re right here to help you.”
From these outdoors Los Angeles, Smith-Pollard requested for prayer and monetary help for hearth victims — and an finish to political squabbling over who’s guilty. There shall be time for accountability sooner or later, she stated, however that point isn’t now.
“It actually needs to be an all-hands-on-deck group engagement to rebuild and restore and return,” she stated.
Together with serving to their congregation and communities with their speedy wants, religious consolation and planning for the long run, some clergy in Los Angeles may even must navigate the difficult process of rebuilding church buildings misplaced to wildfires. A minimum of a dozen congregations had been destroyed and others suffered main injury within the fires. Amongst them was the Altadena Group Church, a 60-person congregation whose pastor had simply introduced his retirement attributable to well being issues, based on the LA Instances.
The facade of the Altadena Group Church stands amid injury from the Eaton Hearth on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photograph/Carolyn Kaster)
Homes of worship misplaced to the wildfires face a protracted street again.
“It’s going to take a extremely very long time to rebuild these church buildings,” stated Charles Cutler, president of ChurchWest Insurance coverage Providers, which works with about 4,000 church buildings and different Christian ministries.
Whereas church buildings and different homes of worship misplaced to the wildfires doubtless had insurance coverage protection, that insurance coverage may not cowl the price of changing what was misplaced. And with hundreds of different buildings additionally misplaced within the current disasters — and in locations like Altadena and Pacific Palisades, whole communities leveled — congregations will discover themselves going through rising costs for development provides, lengthy waits for permits and competitors for the contractors to get the work carried out.
“There’s a line of individuals which might be ready to rebuild their buildings,” Cutler stated.
Cutler stated church buildings and different homes of worship misplaced throughout the present wildfires will doubtless take at the very least three years to rebuild. Throughout that point, these congregations may even have to search out alternate areas to satisfy in — which insurance coverage might not cowl all the price of, as many insurance policies solely cowl a 12 months of different house. Tithes and choices may additionally go down — making it onerous to afford the price of rebuilding.
Because the fires recede, Victory Bible has begun work on a long-term “Legacy Land Challenge” to offer households with the help providers to navigate the rebuilding course of, together with planning clinics on coping with contractors, insurance coverage and authorized points. Lots of the houses that burned within the wildfires had been in households for 3 or 4 generations, stated DeCuir. He and different church leaders fear some households might promote their properties attributable to frustration with the lengthy rebuilding course of.
“I’ve been telling individuals, ‘I do know you might be grieving however maintain on to your land,’” he stated.
DeCuir hopes individuals outdoors of Los Angeles will see the devastation from the wildfires and be motivated to assist survivors of the fires get again on their toes.
“We’re actual individuals, and this case has devastated our group,” he stated. “The best way you may assist now’s with assets. Individuals are in want of some stability with regards to housing proper now; they want no matter assist is feasible.”
