Sunday, August 31, 2025

Altadena Baptist Church to Host Hope and Healing Event at Site of Fire-Ravaged Sanctuary

[photo credit: Altadena Baptist Church]

Today’s gathering will feature worship, lunch, and art to foster healing and hope

In a poignant act of remembrance and resilience, Altadena Baptist Church will hold its “Coming Home! Altadena Dreams” event on August 31 at the original site of its sanctuary, which was destroyed in the Eaton Fire nearly eight months ago. The gathering will feature a worship service, community lunch, and collaborative art installation aimed at fostering healing and hope.

Today’s event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. with songs, prayers, and testimonies reflecting on the January blaze that claimed 19 lives and destroyed 9,400 structures across Altadena.

Attendees will then share a free barbecue lunch at noon, followed by “Dream Altadena,” an art-making session from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The activities will take place on the lawn beside the gaping hole where the church once stood.

“This project is about more than art, it’s about collective healing,” said environmental muralist Ekaterina Sky, who will help lead the community mural initiative.

“We never expected the fire to sweep across the center of Altadena like that,” said George Van Alstine, associate pastor.

The Eaton Fire, which ignited on January 7, forced dozens of church families to flee their homes, with about 20 losing them entirely.

Since January 12, the congregation has been meeting at Highlands Church in La Crescenta.

Altadena has seen a wave of community recovery efforts, including the “Prayer for the Earth Mural,” a community art project led by Sky, and a therapeutic storytelling event hosted by the Altadena Library District on July 19.

“We want the Library District to be a symbol of hope and recovery for our community,” said District Director Nikki Winslow.

The church’s return to its original location, even temporarily, will be marked by a worship service on the lawn next to the gaping hole in the ground where the sanctuary once stood.

The event’s location at 791 E. Calaveras Street will bring the congregation back to familiar ground, underscoring the community’s ongoing journey toward healing.

Sunday, August 31 at 11:00 a.m. Altadena Baptist Church, 791 E. Calaveras Street, Altadena Phone: (626) 797-8970 Website: www.altadenabaptist.org.