A view of Downtown Los Angeles on January 8, 2025
Beloved,
This has been a horrific week for Los Angeles and Southern California. As I write, the Palisades Fire has consumed 17,234 acres and destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses, and schools. Both the parsonage and physical building of Community UMC in Pacific Palisades have been totally destroyed. Our prayers are with Rev. John Shaver as he both leads his community through this loss and suffers with his family through their own. In Altadena, the Eaton Fire has consumed 10,590 acres and an entire community. The devastation is gutwrenching. Altadena UMC is totally gone, as are most of the houses of worship. Our prayers are with Rev. Andre Wilson and his congregation and community. Our Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Paige Eaves, also lost her home in the Eaton Fire.
Due to the weather conditions, high winds, and unhealthy air quality,
Worship will be held ONLINE ONLY on Sunday, January 12.
We will be offering breakfast as a grab-and-go sandwich, so that exposure to the air can be minimized.
Please be sure to wear a mask if you’re outdoors. While N95 masks are great for capturing particles, they do not capture gas-phase toxics in wildfires (and urban wildfires have higher toxicity.) If you can, look for snug fitting "P100+ organic vapor" masks for the best protection, which can be found at hardware stores and online. If you're able to stay indoors, do so, especially if you can run an air purifier or have filters on your HVAC system.
Community UMC in Pacific Palisades
As we sit and wait and hope and pray, there are a few things that you can do. First, be sure to download or look up Watch Duty. This app can help monitor fires and evacuation orders in real time, which could be lifesaving if a fire springs up in your area.
If you are looking for ways to support communities in need, the best way is to donate to local relief organizations. The California Pacific Annual Conference is accepting donations at calpacumc.org/donate. The American Red Cross is also working on localized relief efforts.
If you need emergency housing due to wildfire evacuation, you can go to 211LA.org for Emergency AirBnB support:
Important Details:
A limited number of credits are available for Airbnb.org stays.
Complete the form to receive notifications on availability.
Evacuation zones will be verified before distributing credits.
Spaces are limited, and completing the form does not guarantee a stay.
Eligibility Requirements:
You must have been displaced from your physical home due to the recent fires.
You must currently reside in an evacuation zone.
You must have an active Airbnb account or be able to create one.
You must be 18 years of age or older.
Transportation
Uber: Residents in Los Angeles County who’ve been ordered to vacate their homes can get a credit from Uber to get to an evacuation site. The $40 will only be valid for trips to an active shelter and by using the code WILDFIRE25.
Lyft: Lyft announced it will be offering $25 vouchers, valid for two trips, to 500 customers from now until midnight on Jan. 15. Use the code CAFIRERELIEF25 to get the promotion.
Housing
Airbnb: 211 LA is partnering with Airbnb to offer free temporary housing for people displaced from their homes due to wildfires. More info here.
Queen Mary: The Queen Mary hotel in Long Beach announced that it will be pricing rooms for fire evacuees at $189. The reservation will include a voucher for a breakfast buffet for two people. The reservation will also waive pet and Historical Preservation fees.
Big Bear: The popular retreat spot has also offered evacuees a peaceful place to turn to for rest and regathering. A collection of vacation homes and hotels is listed on this page, which has been created specifically for the needs of fire evacuees.
Visit Anaheim: People affected by the wildfires can visit Visit Anaheim's official website and find special hotel offers and assistance.
Shelters
Westwood Recreation Center: 1350 S. Sepulveda, Los Angeles
Pasadena Civic Auditorium: 300 E. Green St, Pasadena
El Camino Real Charter High School: 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center: 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima
Sepulveda Recreation Center: Address: 8825 Kester Avenue, Panorama City
Utilities
AT&T: The telecommunications company announced it is offering wildfire areas unlimited data, talk and text through Feb. 6. Visit their official site for a list of valid zip codes.
Verizon: Verizon announced it will waive call, text and data charges for customers in hardest hit areas. The company also deployed free Wifi and charging stations at three wildfire shelters.
Health
Planet Fitness: The fitness chain is offering evacuees and first responders free access to their facilities, including showers, locker rooms, and WiFi. Offer is valid until Jan. 15 Please contact your nearest Planet Fitness for more information.
Pet care
Bath N’ Buns Mobile Pet Grooming: The locally-owned pet grooming service announced it will offer complimentary bath services for cats and dogs affected by the fires.
Vetster: The veterinary telehealth platform Vetster said it will be offering free telehealth appointments to pets impacted by the fires. Pet owners can visit vetster.com/support to get a free appointment. Offer will be available for up to 500 pet owners until Jan. 23.
If you need to evacuate, here is how to prepare:
Inside the house
Pack your ‘Go Bag’ or Emergency Kit, ready to grab:
A 3-day supply of non-perishable food & 3 gallons of water per person
A map with at least 2 evacuation routes
Necessary prescriptions or medications
A change of clothes & extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
Extra car keys, credit cards, cash, or traveler’s checks
A first aid kit & sanitation supplies
A flashlight & battery-powered radio with extra batteries
Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
Pet food & water
If time allows, consider adding:
Valuables that are easy to carry
Family photos and irreplaceable items
Personal computer data on hard drives and disks
Chargers for cell phones and laptops
Check that your Wildfire Action Plan is up-to-date
Know your community’s emergency plan, evacuation routes, and destinations
Close all windows and doors but leave them unlocked
Take down flammable window treatments like shades and curtains, and close metal shutters
Clear away light curtains
Move anything that burns easily to the middle of rooms, away from windows and doors
Turn off the gas at the meter and pilot lights
Leave lights on for firefighters to see your house in smoke
Switch off the air conditioning
Outside the house
Bring in flammable items from outside, like patio furniture, toys, doormats, and trash bins. Alternatively, place them in your pool
Shut off propane tanks
Move grills and other propane BBQ appliances away from the house
Attach garden hoses to outside taps for firefighter use and fill buckets with water to scatter around
Don’t leave sprinklers or water running as it can lower critical water pressure.
Keep exterior lights on to make your home visible in smoky or dark conditions.
Put your emergency kit in your car
Park your car in the driveway, facing outwards, loaded and ready, with all doors and windows shut
Have a ladder handy for firefighter roof access
Seal attic and ground vents with plywood or commercial seals
Keep an eye on the fire situation and don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel at risk
Check with neighbors to ensure they’re also prepared
Animals
Keep pets close and ready to go
Plan for farm animal evacuation early, arranging transport and safe locations
You are all heavily in my prayers, friends. The winds are still blowing strong and the risks are high. Be gentle and attentive. Reach out if you need help. We are monitoring these circumstances consistently, but also call on the Holy Spirit as a comfortor and guide. I leave you with the words of the Psalmist, who wrote a cry for help.
May you remember that you are not alone. We, as a city, are stronger together. It is God who created the foundation of the earth, and God who has promied to be faithful to us. May you find peace in the midst of this storm.
Humbly yours,
Mandy
Psalm 102: A Prayer to the Eternal King for Help
A prayer of one afflicted, when faint and pleading before the Lord.
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
on the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily on the day when I call.
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass;
I am too wasted to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my skin.
I am like an owl of the wilderness,
like a little owl of the waste places.
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.
All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
For I eat ashes like bread,
and mingle tears with my drink,
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned for ever;
your name endures to all generations.
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to favour it;
the appointed time has come.
For your servants hold its stones dear,
and have pity on its dust.
The nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
For the Lord will build up Zion;
he will appear in his glory.
He will regard the prayer of the destitute,
and will not despise their prayer.
Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord:
that he looked down from his holy height,
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die;
so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
He has broken my strength in mid-course;
he has shortened my days.
‘O my God,’ I say, ‘do not take me away
at the mid-point of my life,
you whose years endure
throughout all generations.’
Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you endure;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You change them like clothing, and they pass away;
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
The children of your servants shall live secure;
their offspring shall be established in your presence.