The members of the community in the Pacific Palisades area in Los Angeles County returned to the site of a 103 -year -old church that caught fire in January.
And although the United Methodist Methodist Church building is nothing more than rubble and ashes at this time, Pastor John Shaver told Fox News Digital Saturday that it will continue to be a “community without walls” until it is rebuilt.
“As many share family words worldwide,” they resurrect Christ! “We know the words of hope for the family of the United Methodist Church of the Pacific Palisadas Community, the people of Pacific Palisades, the community of Altadena and all those who need the sphere”, “” This great gift of hope gives us strength to reconstruction and, meanwhile, we will be a community of faith (even without walls (without making hope) for hope and hope of hope). Neighbors and distant neighbors. “
Shaver, who had directed the church for only six months before he burned, three years after his celebration of the centenary, met with a handful of community members on the site on Friday before they embark on a walk crossed through the neighborhood.
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Pastor John Shaver has a cross duration of a cross -walk through the United Methodist Church of the Pacific Palisadas community on Friday in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)
They stopped in nine places in the devastated neighborhood, reading biblical verses at each stop to represent a different part of the path of Jesus Christ.
“In this Sunday of Easter, just although we know that there are still significant challenges for coming, we thank for the hope that God gives us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Shaver told Fox News Digital.
Hello, he added that the united Methodist Church of the community “wants to share the love and hope of God through our words and service to all. We hope that being the hands and feet of Christ, we can build bridges of unity with others through the incredible city of Loss.”
The Church was built by the same people founded by Pacific Palisades more than a century ago and, throughout the decades, has given wedding, funeral, community meetings, sports competitions, holiday celebrations and alcoholic meetings.
The members of the Community Methodist Church listen to a prayer of Pastor John Shaver Duration A Cross Walk. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Inspired by the Chautauqua social movement of the 1920s, the founders began a “peace movement”, building the Church and offering arts, music and cultural programs to residents, Shaver told The Associated Press.
The congregation has continued services as a fire in other places, but it was the first time he returned to the site on Friday.
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Shaver, along with most of his congregation, lost his home in the fire of Palisades.
Carli Wright touches music for a duration of the prayer of the Church to Cross Walk for the United Methodist Church of the Pacific Community Palisades on Friday. (AP Photo/William Liang)
The fire of Palisades and the Fire Eaton, which was more land near Pasadena, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and businesses and killed 29 people, including a speaker of the Church of Shaver.
Shaver remembered Annette Rossilli, 85, crosses her from the cross and stopped in front of the debris where her own home was once. His family moved to the house last July.
“It is also a reminder of how much we have, we take for granted,” Shaver told the AP.
And while the church burned, the community was able to save important parts such as stone tiles, a metal cross that was at the top of its tower and another stone cross.
Shaver said the Church will try to find ways to incorporate these articles when the new Church is built.
Shaver said the Cross Walk was also a reminder or “how much of what we have, we take for granted.” (AP Photo/William Liang)
Thomas Knoll, a resident who did not attend the Church and is not religious, told the AP that he attended the event because he felt “as a kind of funeral for the Pacific Palisadas.”
Knoll also lost his home.
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The Church before the fires (Google Maps)
“The whole history of crucifixion and resurrection is appropriate here,” he said. “This city will be rebuilt, but it will take a long time.”
Associated Press contributed to this report.