It was early-morning on January 18, 2005, when flames shooting from the First Mennonite Church of Richmond were reported. Luckily, the fire was contained and no one was injured but heavy fire, smoke and water damage occurred to the education wing of the new building.

After moving in only 2 months prior to the fire, the congregation at First Mennonite was still adjusting to the new church. When they found that the fire was deliberately set, the emotions were mixed but overwhelmingly they wondered, "Why would someone do this?"

While the MAX responders couldn't give a precise answer as to why this would happen, they were able to listen, pray and give support. In the mean time, the physical aspects of restoring the church were well underway.

When talking with Barry Loop, pastor of First Mennonite, he said, "the church council made a deliberate decision when choosing MAX." They understood the insurance protection but were most impacted by the Anabaptist values that MAX held as a company. He later commented, "Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we (council) ever made."

Pastor Loop was also very encouraged and appreciative that the burden of all the details of the fire were being handled and with little hassle. "MAX just took care of everything. Just knowing that things were under control and we didn't have to worry about it was just incredible." When asked if MAX met the expectations of care and protection, Loop responded, "you exceeded your goal."

Sometimes there isn't always an answer to every question but lending support and extra care can certainly go a long way. The congregation was able to resume church activities just four days after the fire and were able to utilize the restored education wing this month.