As we approach the one year anniversary of two fires that devastated our communities in 2025, Bishop Escobedo-Frank shares a message, saying: “Our conference, our world, our community was changed by these fires…Those who lost homes, those who lost loved ones, those who lost churches, and neighborhoods, and towns – we haven’t forgotten you. And as the church, we are here to be with you into the future, and to continue to walk along beside of you, as you continue to find new ways to live your life.”

Click the image above to watch the video, a transcript is available below. 

Transcript

So we’re coming up on a anniversary of January 7th of something that happened to us in our midst last January. The one year anniversary of the fires in LA, in the Pacific Palisades and in Altadena. Our conference, our world, our community was changed by those fires.

And we want you to know that we haven’t forgotten those who lost homes, those who lost loved ones, those who lost churches, and neighborhoods and towns. We haven’t forgotten you. 

And as the church, we are here to be with you into the future and to continue to walk alongside of you as you find new ways to live your life, even in new communities. Our prayers are with you, our support is for you. And we as a conference are continuing to walk alongside all of those who suffered the most.

So especially this coming days, I pray that you would lift up, in whatever community you’re in, lift up the community Church of Pacific Palisades, United Methodist Church that burned and also Altadena United Methodist Church, the church that burned as well. And all the people associated with them, and all those who lost their homes. Lift them up in prayer.

And if you know someone who lost something during that fire, reach out to them and let them know you remember this date. God is with us. And sometimes that’s the best we can hope for. Just that God is with us. I’m praying for you.