As a fast moving fire ravaged the neighborhood, Grace Episcopal Church, Allentown, jumped in to help the displaced families by offering shelter and assistance. The DioBeth newSpin, the Diocese of Bethlehem newsletter reports the day by day response of Grace Church:
[Saturday, Feb. 21] As a neighborhood fire displaced 45 people (32 adults and 13 children) in Allentown, near Grace Episcopal Church, the church became a temporary home for those without family nearby. Grace parishioners, in cooperation with the Red Cross, served lunch and dinner yesterday, breakfast this morning and set up cots in the nave of the church for overnight shelter.
[Sunday, Feb. 22] On Sunday morning at Eucharist, parishioners, Red Cross volunteers and a few people displaced by the fire entered into conversation during the time when a sermon would ordinarily be delivered. They spoke about how quickly their church was transformed into a shelter, including daytime hospitality, the preparation of meals and cots in the nave.
More here.
The story of the fire is here in the Leigh High Valley Morning Call.
Previous stories in The Lead on Grace Episcopal Church, Allentown here, here, here, and here.