{"id":394025,"date":"2026-07-10T22:59:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T22:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/394025\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T22:59:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T22:59:11","slug":"what-remains-san-francisco-church-fire-kindles-unexpected-community-north-american-division-of-seventh-day-adventists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/394025\/","title":{"rendered":"What Remains: San Francisco Church Fire Kindles Unexpected Community \u2013 North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cA black and white picture of the sanctuary right now looks like something from WWII,\u201d commented Mark Ferrell, pastor of the San Francisco Central Seventh-day Adventist Church (SFC). We were standing on the balcony, overlooking the worst of the damage from the June 29 fire that destroyed the primary worship space of the church that had been standing for 134 years.<\/p>\n

He was not wrong. Blackened wood beams with jagged ends lay at various angles, piled on top of broken, burned, and water-damaged wooden pews. A single chandelier dangled from a solitary electrical cord, swinging and spinning in the wind. The wind \u2014 no longer held at bay by walls and a ceiling \u2014 whistled through twisted metal and ruffled tithe envelopes. The organ pipes were heat-marked and partially fallen; rubble rested on the end of the grand piano. A microphone receiver swayed back and forth from the balcony, where a sound board rested sideways on the railing. Overhead, where the beautiful wooden ceiling should have been, clouds could be seen through broken boards, scudding across a bright blue sky. Parts of the city could be seen through what was left of a brick wall.<\/p>\n

Downstairs, the damage was not from fire; it was from water. The carpets were soaked and covered in soggy plaster; tile floors had standing water in places; the ceiling panels had collapsed, and insulation hung from the gaping holes left behind. Paint was peeling from the piano in the children\u2019s room. All of this could only be seen with high-powered flashlights, as the building had no electricity, and every window was boarded up to deter looters \u2014 who still make nightly attempts to pilfer whatever they can, despite increased police presence in the neighborhood and private security on site.<\/p>\n

\nScars Are Part of Our Stories\n<\/p>\n

On the afternoon of June 29, Ferrell, a lay pastor, was at work at Stanford University when a text pinged his phone. \u201cI\u2019m probably not the first person to text you this, but I was just watching the news, and the church is on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BrokenMost of the church\u2019s stained-glass windows were broken or destroyed during the fire and fire suppression efforts.
Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they were\u00a0the first,\u201d Ferrell said. \u201cI rushed into my boss\u2019 office and said I had to go, and I raced to the church.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he arrived, smoke was pouring from the roof, and dozens of firefighters were on the scene. Ferrell and the battalion chief became nearly inseparable, as the chief needed access and layout information for his crew. Ferrell drew him diagrams and showed him photos of whatever they needed.<\/p>\n

At one point, the battalion chief asked Ferrell if there was anything specific inside the building he\u2019d like them to try and save. \u201cWe have to have that pulpit,\u201d Farrell told him.<\/p>\n

The pulpit is a carryover (literally) from the original San Francisco Central church on Laguna Street, where both Ellen and James White had once preached, and is therefore a significant piece of Adventist Church history on the West Coast.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the fire crew could not retrieve the pulpit. Once the fire was extinguished and Farrell was given permission to enter the building, he and a few elders dug down into the rubble where the pulpit would have been to see if any remnants were salvageable.<\/p>\n

\"AThe fire severely damaged the church\u2019s pipe organ, installed in 1986 and featuring parts from organs built in 1903 and 1906. Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found the pulpit intact but for a small burned section and a few scorch scars,\u201d Ferrell said with a smile. \u201cWe took it to a local restoration company, and they have offered to restore it as a gift to the church. I asked them to repair the burn but leave the scars. Scars are what make us beautiful. Scars are part of our stories.\u201d <\/p>\n

\nWe Will Leave Here Healed People\n<\/p>\n

On Sabbath, July 4, their first Sabbath after the fire, the SFC members gathered with their sister congregation a few blocks away, the Philadelphian Seventh-day Adventist Church.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just sitting in my office midweek,\u201d shared Shelton Kilby, pastor of the Philadelphian church, \u201cand I heard a voice say to me, \u2018Call Mark.\u2019 I immediately knew what I needed to do.\u201d When Ferrell answered the phone, Kilby said, \u201cCome worship with us this Sabbath. Our church is your church. My pulpit is your pulpit.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Sabbath morning arrived, the church gently came alive as members from both SFC and Philadelphian began to arrive. An elder from Philadelphian posted signage so SFC members knew where to go for Sabbath School; SFC holds Sabbath morning Bible study in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. Members hugged and greeted one another and introduced themselves to people they didn\u2019t recognize. Some entered and sat quietly in a pew for a while as light poured through the stunning stained-glass windows on either side of the sanctuary.<\/p>\n

\"WideOn Sabbath, July 4, 2026, SFC church members joined San Francisco Philadelphian Church in worship. Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n

The service was unique, with not only pastors from both churches on the platform but also Virgil Childs, vice president for Black Ministries at Pacific Union Conference; Ricardo Viloria, Northern California Conference president; and Stephen Sherrill, city supervisor for District 2 (where these two churches are located).<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal today as we worship together, cry together, and sing together, is that we will leave here healed people,\u201d Ferrell stated from the platform that Sabbath.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI Have Faith Because of You\u201d\n<\/p>\n

When Sherrill spoke, he noted that such a tragedy is not unique in the church\u2019s history. \u201cWhat I mean by that is that you are welcoming, open, gracious, and kind, and I think today is both a wonderful example of you and this community \u2014 but also not particularly special because you do it every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued by saying he wanted to be present at church that Sabbath for two reasons: First, to make sure the SFC church members knew they had the support of the city in the rebuilding of their church. \u201cI know there will be hurdles, but I will be there alongside you,\u201d he said. And second, to say thank you.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw Mark standing on the street while the fire was still burning and the embers were still hot, while the smoke was still coming out of the church, his attitude was one of hope for the future,\u201d Sherrill commented. \u201cHe has incredible grace, incredible faith in God. I can see that in all of you, too. I have faith because of you. I have hope for the future, for these two congregations here today, for this community, and for this country because of you. So I want to thank you for your optimism, your commitment, and your faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before he left the platform, Sherrill received a prayer of blessing from the pastors.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleMusic played a large role in the July 4 church service, and included a moving rendition of \u201cSide by Side.\u201d Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n

\nBrothers and Sisters, all Are We\n<\/p>\n

Music was a central focus for the remainder of the service. A praise team from SFC led the congregation in several songs, including \u201cWe Have This Hope\u201d and \u201cSide by Side We Stand,\u201d a meaningful statement with members of two congregations joining hands across aisles and around the room.<\/p>\n

The sermon time was shared by Kilby, Viloria, and Ferrell, each presenting an inspiring and encouraging message from the heart.<\/p>\n

Following the service, the congregations shared a fellowship meal, provided by the Philadelphian church. Members of the SFC church were invited to go through line first, and for an hour and a half, the gym was full of the aroma of home-cooked food and the sound of comfortable conversation.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis Is My Home\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Though the fire was very much a local experience, it has impacted people far beyond San Francisco\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n

Paul Pellandini is an 82-year-old retiree living in Berrien Springs, Michigan. On Monday evening, he returned home late from a Bible study and found his wife still awake, watching the news. \u201cCome look at this, Paul!\u201d she called. \u201cThere was a fire today at San Francisco Central church!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HeadshotHaving been raised attending and converted in the SFC church, Paul Pellandini, an 82-year-old retiree, traveled from his home in Berrien Springs, Michigan, to grieve and worship alongside SFC church members during the July 4 service. Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n

When Paul was a child, he lived with his single father, his siblings, and a hired nanny in a small two-bedroom house in the heart of San Francisco. Though his family was Catholic, Paul and his siblings attended church on Saturdays with their nanny \u2014 at San Francisco Central church. This experience transformed Paul\u2019s faith, and he eventually became an Adventist himself. He holds a special place in his heart for SFC.<\/p>\n

As soon as he saw the news, Paul felt compelled to travel to San Francisco to worship and grieve his home church alongside its current members. \u201cI had to be here,\u201d he stated, his eyes shining with tears. \u201cThis is my home. This is my church.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later that afternoon, Paul was part of a group that took a guided walk-through of the burned church. He stood, somber, staring down into the rubble. \u201cUnbelievable,\u201d he whispered in a voice full of emotion, his lower lip quivering. Then he walked slowly away, shaking his head sadly.<\/p>\n

\nThe Church Still Exists\n<\/p>\n

Cleanup of the burn site is currently being negotiated. The space is not safe for the general public to enter, and the church must obtain an emergency demolition permit, close the street on one side, and haul away the remnants of the building.<\/p>\n

The most immediate financial need is to get a temporary location up and running. A temporary sound system, livestreaming equipment, and children\u2019s ministry supplies are top priorities. For details on how to contribute, visit sfcentral.org.<\/p>\n

As Childs said during the church service on July 4, \u201cThe building may be damaged, but the church still exists. Even what appears to be the worst situation is an opportunity for God to reveal His glory. May you be encouraged and restored.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PhotoSan Francisco Central church members were cheerfully welcomed into the Philadelphian Church Sabbath morning; following the joint church service, the Philadelphian church provided a fellowship meal for the congregations to share. Photo: Becky St. Clair\/Pacific Union Conference<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cA black and white picture of the sanctuary right now looks like something from WWII,\u201d commented Mark Ferrell,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":394026,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[101,103,102,104,106,105],"class_list":["post-394025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-francisco","tag-san-francisco","tag-san-francisco-headlines","tag-san-francisco-news","tag-sf","tag-sf-headlines","tag-sf-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394025\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/394026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}