Church congregants return to site of destroyed church for first time ahead of Easter

Members of the Community in the Pacific Palisades area in Los Angeles County returned to Good Friday to the site of a 103-year-old church that burned in January during January Wild fire in southern California.

While the building of the United Methodist Church in the Community is nothing but ruin and ash, Pastor John Shaver told Fox News Digital on Saturday that he would remain a “community without walls” until it is renovated.

“As many share the famous ancient words around the world,” Christ is resurrected! “, We know that these words of hope for the United Methodist Pacific Palisades Community Community Community are church familyThe inhabitants of Pacific Palisada, the Altaden Community and all who need the strength to continue moving forward around the world, “Shaver said.” This great gift of hope gives us the courage to renovate, and in the meantime we will strive to be a religious community (even without walls), which is the center of hope and healing for our neighbors near and far. “

Shaver, who led the church just six months before burning, gathered with a few members of the community three years after his centennial celebration on Friday before walking through the neighborhood.

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They stopped at nine locations in the devastated neighborhood, reading the biblical verses at each stop to represent a different part of Jesus Christ.

“On this Easter SundayAlthough we know that there are still significant challenges, we thank for the hope that God gives us the resurrection of Jesus Christ, “Shaver told Fox News Digital.

He added that the united Methodist Church in the Community “wants to share God’s love and hope through our words and service to everyone. We hope that, by being able to build the hands and feet of Christ, the bridges of unity with others throughout the incredible city of Los Angeles.”

The church was built by the same people who founded the Pacific Palisades more than a century ago and over the decade, she testified to weddings, funerals, community gatherings, sports competitions, celebrations of holidays and anonymous meetings of alcoholics.

Inspired by the Chautauqua social movement in the 1920s, the founders began the “Peace Movement”, the construction of the church and offering artistic, music and cultural programs to residents, Shaver told Associate Press.

The Congregation continued the services of fire in other places, but it was the first time to return to the place on Friday.

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Shaver, along with most of his community, lost his home in Palisades fire.

Palisades Fire and the Eaton fire, which was further in the interior near Pasadena, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and companies and killed 29 people, including the Shaver Church community.

Shaver remembered 85-year-old Annette Rossilli during the intersection and stopped in front of the ruins where his own house once stood. His family moved to home last July.

“It is also a reminder of how much we have, we take for granted,” Shaver told AP.

While the church was burned, the community was able to save important parts like stone tiles, a metal cross that stood on its tower and another stone cross.

Shaver said the Church would try to find ways to install those items when a new church was built.

Thomas Knoll, a resident who did not attend the Church and is not religious, said AP -in that he attended an event because he felt like “as a kind of funeral for Pacific Palisade.”

Knoll also lost his home.

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“The whole story of crucifixion and resurrection is appropriate here,” he said. “This city will be restored, but it will take a long time.”

Associated Press contributed to this report.