{"id":24732,"date":"2025-01-09T22:45:33","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T22:45:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=24732"},"modified":"2025-03-07T22:10:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T22:10:00","slug":"pacific-southwest-prayer-request","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2025\/pacific-southwest-prayer-request\/","title":{"rendered":"Pacific Southwest District requests prayer for Conexion Pasadena congregation affected by fire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pacific Southwest District executive minister Russ Matteson earlier this week shared the following prayer request for the Conexion Pasadena congregation of the Church of the Brethren, which has been directly affected by the Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area, as well as other church members and congregations across the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHold pastors Juan Pablo Plaza and Adriana Rios and their children in prayer, as the church parsonage where they make their home was destroyed by fire overnight,\u201d said the prayer request, in part. \u201cThey are scheduled to return from Christmas in Colombia at the end of this week, and are making decisions about when to travel with this news.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, Jan. 9, Matteson provided updated information that \u201cthe Pasadena church building and the second parsonage did not have any fire exposure or damage. For this we are grateful.\u201d He added that there is still a possibility that other Church of the Brethren members in the great Los Angeles area may have been directly affected by the fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FEMA photo \/ public domain<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The full prayer concern as originally shared is in Spanish and then in English below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pastores y lideres \/ Pastors and leaders,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Por favor, tengan en sus oraciones al \u00e1rea metropolitana de Los \u00c1ngeles mientras soplan los vientos de Santa Ana y los incendios est\u00e1n surgiendo y propag\u00e1ndose r\u00e1pidamente. En particular, el incendio de Eaton, que comenz\u00f3 en el \u00e1rea de Pasadena\/Altadena, que es donde se encuentra la congregaci\u00f3n de Conexi\u00f3n Pasadena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En particular, oren por los pastores Juan Pablo Plaza y Adriana R\u00edos y sus hijos, ya que la casa parroquial de la iglesia donde viven fue destruida por un incendio durante la noche. Tienen previsto regresar de pasar la Navidad en Colombia a finales de esta semana y est\u00e1n tomando decisiones sobre cu\u00e1ndo viajar con esta noticia. No tenemos ninguna informaci\u00f3n sobre el edificio de la iglesia ni sobre la casa parroquial donde vive la pastora Fernanda Navarrete, que se encuentran a poca distancia de la casa de Plaza R\u00edos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recuerden a los miembros de la congregaci\u00f3n que tuvieron que evacuar sus hogares, as\u00ed como a los miembros de otras congregaciones en el \u00e1rea de Los \u00c1ngeles que tienen miembros que est\u00e1n bajo \u00f3rdenes de evacuaci\u00f3n. Y oren por la seguridad de todos, especialmente de aquellos que est\u00e1n trabajando para combatir el incendio y proteger vidas y propiedades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Please hold the greater Los Angeles area in your prayers<\/strong> as the Santa Ana winds blow and fires are springing up and spreading rapidly. In particular, the Eaton fire, started in Pasadena\/Altadena area, which is where the Conexion Pasadena congregation is located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, hold pastors Juan Pablo Plaza and Adriana Rios and their children in prayer, as the church parsonage where they make their home was destroyed by fire overnight. They are scheduled to return from Christmas in Colombia at the end of this week, and are making decisions about when to travel with this news. We do not have any information about the church building or the parsonage where pastor Fernanda Navarrete lives, both of which are just a short distance from the Plaza Rios home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember the members of the congregation who have had to evacuate their homes, as well as members of other congregations in the LA area who have members who are under evacuation orders. And pray for the safety of all, especially those who are working to fight the fire and protect lives and property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pace e bene, Paz y bien, Peace and all good,
Russ Matteson, District Executive Minister
Pacific Southwest District<\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n