The entire ministry focus of the First Baptist Church of Pasadena, California changed dramatically between Sunday, January 4th and Sunday, January 12th. Between Tuesday, January 7th and Thursday, January 9th, more than 1,400 homes, businesses, schools and other buildings burned in the cities of Pasadena and Altadena, in the Eaton fire. The pastor of First Baptist Church tells a harrowing story of his family's evacuation of their own home, of having to go through the trauma of deciding which belongings were most important, and which ones they might not see again, and then, having to leave their house behind as flames, close enough to be seen from their roof, engulfed the northern streets of their city.

They were among those who were fortunate enough not to lose their homes. But several families who were members of the church community did, along with many others who took refuge in the church building which was opened as a shelter during the evacuation and has continued to serve in that capacity ever since. The congregation did gather for worship on Sunday, something the pastor says in the BNG article that they do best, and it became a time of not only giving comfort to those within the church who suffered such an unimaginable loss, but also to organize themselves, put their building to use as a place to organize relief for the community, and then determine how best to use their resources to shift to this ministry that has become a sudden and immediate priority.

They are, of their own initiative, not waiting for a hint or a push, stepping into the need and making themselves available, sacrificially. It's a natural thing to do for a church which understands the basic Christian principle of loving your neighbor as you love yourself.