Pomona’s Historic First Presbyterian Church Burns : Congregation’s Faith Still Glows in Smoldering Ashes

What remained of Pomona’s historic First Presbyterian Church Saturday was “less than a skeleton.” But even as embers from the burned-out sanctuary continued to smolder, a small army of volunteers arrived in a steady stream to ensure that services would continue uninterrupted.

“People have come from miles around,” said Dr. Robbin MacDonald, the church’s pastor. “Most are members, but some are from other churches. They all have one question: ‘What can I do?’ ”

A $1.5-million fire of unknown origin swept through the sanctuary Friday, leaving only that building’s brick facade standing.

It consumed 102 years of memorabilia for the 290-member congregation organized in 1883, five years before Pomona was incorporated as a city, MacDonald said. First Presbyterian was launched as an interracial congregation, and it is the oldest continuous congregation in Pomona, he added.

Lost with the sanctuary, built in 1907, were $110,000 worth of stained-glass windows. The congregation was nationally known, MacDonald said, because the Presbyterian Mariner’s program--clubs providing Christian fellowship and service for couples--was launched there. Mariners later expanded to include singles, he said.

“Our museum was lost, our scrapbooks, photos, the works,” the pastor said.

An adjacent education building housing classrooms, a gym and offices escaped with minor smoke and water damage, and Saturday’s volunteers were busy equipping the gym for services.

“Judging by what I’ve seen this morning, I’d say we’re a stronger church today than we were yesterday,” MacDonald said. “We still have 20,000 square feet of usable space, and we’ll worship in the gym instead of in the sanctuary.”

The pastor added that the view from his study’s window was of a traffic jam as at least 50 volunteers arrived to convert the gym. His phone rang continuously Saturday morning with offers from other Pomona churches to use their facilities--offers he fortunately has not had to accept.

Flames from the blaze were still shooting into the night sky Friday, he said, when the pastor of Pomona’s First Baptist Church arrived to tell him: “Anything you want, just ask for it.”

The fire broke out at about 6:30 p.m., and nine companies of Pomona firefighters battled the blaze for two hours before bringing it under control, said Pomona Fire Chief John Fowlkes.

He added that no one was injured, and firefighters have been unable to determine what caused the fire.

While the congregation certainly felt its loss Saturday, volunteers were too busy to dwell on it.

As MacDonald pointed out: “We’re expecting a full house for Sunday school at 9 a.m., and our Boy Scout troop is going ahead with its pancake breakfast.”