USA Today’s Terry Collins shares these heartbreaking reflections from a leader of the Waiola church:

It took just two words for Judy Kinser to describe her beloved historic church on the island of Maui, which just celebrated its 200th anniversary three months ago.

“Destroyed. Devastating,” Kinser, treasurer and office administrator at Waiola Church in Lahaina, Hawaii, said Wednesday. “Not sure if the church building and preschool buildings (are) also gone.”

As word and images of the wildfires began spreading across the town of Lahaina, longtime member Anela Rosa, the church’s lay minister of 13 years, tearfully confirmed the worst.

“It’s gone, the social hall, the sanctuary, the annex, all of it,” Rosa told USA TODAY Wednesday. “It is totally unimaginable.”

Relief efforts: As always after disasters, faith-based organizations are mobilizing help.

Southern Baptists are among faith groups preparing to respond, as Baptist Press’ Timothy Cocke explains.

Mike Thom with CVHN Radio details some of the efforts:

Kahului Baptist Church is among a group of churches left scrambling to care for people. The church has opened a shelter and is doing its best to provide food and goods to people. The church has also set up a mobile hygiene trailer, allowing evacuees to have showers and do laundry.

Meetinghouses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are being used as evacuation centers. according to Mary Richards with thechurchnews.com.

Karen Schwartz with Chabad.org reports:

With wildfires claiming at least 53 lives and leaving thousands homeless on the island of Maui, emergency workers continued their search for survivors in the charred ruins of burned-out buildings. Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries and volunteers joined relief workers in helping Maui residents and thousands of tourists who had to evacuate the island and cope with the disaster.

Rabbi Mendel Krasnjasnky of Chabad of Maui reported multiple homes belonging to Jewish residents succumbing to the blaze. Echoing their unwavering support during past calamities—as in previous natural disasters like Hurricane Lane in 2018—Chabad centers across Hawaii are offering vital services—including housing, kosher meals, Shabbat services and emotional support.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads

1. Hindu presidential candidate: “Vivek Ramaswamy is as comfortable talking about Bible stories as he is sharing the message of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most sacred Hindu texts.”

The Associated Press’ Deepa Bharath details how Ramaswamy “has leaned into his faith as he vies for the nomination of a party where evangelical Christian support is key.”

In other campaign news, Religion News Service’s Jack Jenkins delves into whether former President Donald Trump’s latest indictment will hurt him with evangelical voters. (Spoiler alert: Probably not.)