Residents from the town of Paradise are starting to return home following the devastating Camp Fire last month, and the community is celebrating Christmas Eve together.
This marks the first time the community is coming together for a gathering since the fire.
Paradise Alliance Church received special permission from local government agencies to host a community-wide Christmas Eve service. Local agencies also opened certain roads for everybody to attend the event if desired.
PG&E even made sure the electricity would not be an issue for the ceremony.
“Christmas and the holiday season can be difficult for many under normal circumstances, but after what this town has been through, it is more important than ever to gather together at Christmas,” said Tim Bolin, executive pastor at Paradise Alliance Church. “We believe the message of Christmas is one of hope and healing, and that could not be more needed at this time.”
The church, which is one of the biggest in the entire community, was one of the few structures that survived during the Camp Fire.
