Four dead.

As sad as the news was about the Jan. 15 fire that devastated residents of the Woodlands Apartments complex in South Toledo, the story didn’t end with the deaths of Sharell Crisp, 28, Antoinette Brown, 31, Ahmard Brown, 5, and Richard Fair, 46.

Thirty-five families, 105 people — 46 of them school-aged children — were displaced.

Most lost everything they had, many without insurance to cover losses.

And now, with a criminal investigation under way into the cause, those fortunate enough to have renter’s insurance will likely have to wait a while.

Rachel Hepner-Zawodny, American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio executive director, said her agency was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people affected by the fire, which began at 4:20 a.m. in a middle-floor apartment of a three-story, 12-unit building.

“We haven’t had a rapid response like that since the Lake Township tornado seven years ago,” she said, referring to at least one twister on June 5, 2010, that ripped across parts of Wood and Ottawa counties, killing five people, injuring at least 28 others, and tearing apart more than 60 homes, as well as the former Lake High School.

“It was overwhelming,” Ms. Hepner-Zawodny said of the need after the Woodlands Apartments fire. “How could it not be overwhelming?”

The tragedy gave several area churches reason to examine themselves and how they react to their neighbors in a time of need.

Churches, of course, have a long history of empathy, funding anything from soup kitchens to missionary work in underdeveloped countries on a regular basis. Yet pastors often believe congregations need to get out of their comfort zones and become more engaged or risk being perceived as living in a bubble.

The response to the Woodlands Apartments tragedy is just one recent example of how several area churches banded together to provide the Red Cross with the backup it needed to better serve those who needed immediate help.

Maumee Churches United, an association of pastors and chaplains from 10 Maumee churches, got its affiliated church boards and congregations moving.

In addition to clothing, churches collected items as small as kitchen utensils for displaced families.

One church created a voucher for families to buy new mattresses. Another made gift cards available for groceries and other supplies. Another lined up backpacks with school supplies.

All of it was to supplement efforts the Red Cross and other service organizations were doing.

“Something like a fire can raise awareness,” said the Rev. Clint Tolbert, senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Maumee and Maumee Churches United president. “We can’t simply be a social club. We can’t simply be a concert. We need to think what it means to be a church.”

That, he said, means adding value to lives: Making a commitment to spiritual development as important as attending soccer matches.

The Rev. J. Paul Board, rector at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Maumee and Maumee Churches United treasurer, said church-goers should be motivated by Jesus Christ to love their neighbor as much as they love themselves.

He has some experience with fire victims, being a Maumee Fire Department volunteer and the fire department’s chaplain.

Victims are “having the worst day of their lives” when they see their belongings going up in flames, yet there’s such trauma they don’t really understand they’re homeless or that they’ve lost everything for hours, Reverend Board said.

“It’s just a matter of being compassionate as they come to grips with reality,” he said.

At Maumee United Methodist Church, the Rev. Russ Tichenor, lead pastor, and the Rev. Joanie Schilling, pastor of congregational care, said the tragedy at the apartment complex inspired congregation members to help many people they may not have known but consider neighbors. The apartment complex along Cheyenne Boulevard is about three miles from that church and others in Maumee.

“You need some personal skin in the game. We need to do something physically,” said Pastor Tichenor, who noted his sermon on Sunday is about serving neighbors. “It’s not just about being saved, but also going out and serving.”

News about the fire was met with a “heart-wrenching” sigh from the congregation, he said.

“Great love is needed in the midst of darkness. It’s how God redeems the darkness by getting people to think about others than themselves,” Pastor Schilling said.

The Maumee UMC congregation has had to cope with a more recent tragedy too.

On Feb. 9, a 21-year-old woman who had attended Maumee UMC and been part of its youth group for years, former Monclova Township resident Reagan Tokes, was found dead in Columbus, an apparent murder victim. Investigators found her with a gunshot wound near the entrance to Scioto Grove Metro Park, and have arrested a suspect.

Ms. Tokes was a 2013 graduate of Anthony Wayne High School, back in Ohio studying clinical psychology at Ohio State University after her family had moved to Florida four years ago.

Whether it’s rapid response to a fire or trying to heal from the shock of an unexpected death, people respond to crises with relationships between one another, Pastor Schilling said.

“We need love to redeem this,” she said. “We were compelled by great love in the midst of pain. It’s part of believing God’s a redeeming God.”

Pastor Tolbert said he hopes the compassion church members showed fire victims has an impact both ways.

“It is my hope that some of these fire victims will think of God in a different way,” he said. “Maybe some of them will ask, Why did they help us? They didn’t know us.”

From the Red Cross’ perspective, things went relatively smooth. Having churches make themselves available as shelters in a time of need is one thing. But going above and beyond and offering backup means so much more, Ms. Hepner-Zawodny said.

“It really was almost seamless,” she said. “It wasn’t just the money. It was everything, down to the people who donated time and muscle. Everybody had a hand in it. I think it’s something we can learn from to make a plan with.”

The Toledo area’s compassion in general helps the Red Cross provide services, Ms. Hepner-Zawodny said.

“I can’t say enough about the community and how it came together,” she said. “It’s a raw feeling. Your emotions run wild. That road to recovery is very meaningful.”

Contact Tom Henry at: thenry@theblade.com, 419-724-6079, or via Twitter @ecowriterohio.

First Published February 25, 2017, 5:00 a.m.