More than 40 people flowed into a small gray and brick church in the midst of the pouring rain to come together and to worship God. The congregation put their hands together and sang hymns while people continued to flow in from the side entrance.
The Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center On Lake Avenue in AltadenaCalifornia, who has been home to some people for more than a decade, was destroyed by the Eaton Fire at the beginning of January. Now the congregants meet in a guest church about 2 miles away.
Shield of Faith Christian Center in Pasadena serves as a guest church for the Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center after it was destroyed by the Eaton fire. (Ashley Carnahan / Fox News Digital)
The Theme of Sunday’s message was “beauty for ash.” Pastor Charles Dorsey led the church in prayer for the third time since his youth church burned down.
Margaret and Simeon Alexander, an older couple from Altadena, told Fox News Digital that they had attended Lifeline for 15 years.
“We were devastated,” Margaret said after hearing their old place of worship reduced to rubble. “We miss our church. Lifeline is our spiritual family.”
“We soon confronted with reality That all things work together forever, “her husband Simeon kept in from a front chair.
Congregants of the now destroyed Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center gather during a rainy Sunday afternoon to worship. (Ashley Carnahan / Fox News Digital)
Theo Hawkins, who led the church in worship, admitted that he initially did not want to come because of the ‘new standard’.
Lifeline has been a part of it The Altadena community For 19 years and regularly serves free food to people every other Wednesday, twice a month.
“It is a great community, very diverse, hard -working people. Families have had the property in the area, have passed it on to their sons, sons to grandsons or granddaughter and daughter. And it is just a wonderful place to live and to live and raise a family And a great place to have a church, “said Pastor Dorsey.
He estimated that 19 people from Lifeline were displaced because of the fire and another 13 have lost their houses.
More than 9,000 Structures were destroyed And more than 14,000 hectares burned, according to Cal Fire, making the Eaton one of the deadliest forest fires in the history of the golden state.
Tickets show the size of the destruction of the natural fire destroyed
Dr. Lisa Dorsey told Fox News Digital that there are currently phases to enable residents to return to their houses. The first phase is the removal of hazardous waste and the Second is debris Delete, although the timetable for the process is unclear.
The only thing that is left of the Lifeline church is a purple and white cross on top of a rectangular structure.
Slide the white beam to see the damage from the fire
“The cross is still,” said Pastor Dorsey. “It gave me hope and I felt strength. And I was happy that the cross is still because it is the work of the cross that we can forgive. It is the love of the cross, the work on the cross that we can be released.
“At the moment, The physical building Van Lifeline is due to Ash. But the Lord promised to give beauty for it. And so we were instructed – let’s get up. Let’s grow out. And we are grateful for that, “he told Fox News Digital.
The Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center was burned down by the Eaton Fire in Altadena. (Fox News Digital / Ashley Carnahan)
A somewhat burnt purple and white cross is on top of the Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center in Altadena. (Fox News Digital / Ashley Carnahan)
Some members of the church could see what remained last week after the service of their home of worship, while others still have to return. Lifeline is waiting for the next steps to Start the reconstruction processBut the church dreams of bringing chairs and tents in the parking lot of the old location and seeing the new building rising while singing, praying and preaching.
“We are looking for that day … where we can look and see the process. The process of building, looking for The neighbors’ houses And communities and see them build. People who drive into the street stop because they hear the Word of God if they hear music. Feeding people, loving people, listening to people, all the things that make a rich community, “said Pastor Dorsey.” And Altadena is that, and so is Pasadena. “
Pastor Charles Dorsey preaches from the Shield of Faith Christian Center after the church that he leads was burned down. (Ashley Carnahan / Fox News Digital)
Before the Eaton Fire destroyed its community, the Four Father felt at the end of last year to start 2025 with a message of progress. He was not entirely sure of the timing, but it became clearer After the fire has been destroyed At home after home and building after the building.
Click here to get the Fox News app
“We lost houses and our church, but we have each other,” said Pastor Dorsey of the Lesser at the front of the guest church while he continued his message about finding beauty through destruction.
“Amen,” the municipality shouted back. “Amen.”
