Three months later everything changed. On April 18, 1906, the San Francisco earthquake rent the city, setting buildings alight, killing scores, devastating Leavitt's ministry, and despoiling his church. The tremors shook the church's bell from its tower, sending it careening through the roof, interrupting worship services for a considerable period. The earthquake also destroyed the homes of many communicants, as well as driving others from the devastated city. During the following years, Leavitt's pastoral presence was evident across the devastated Bay Area. In 1907, Leavitt was named one of the University preachers at the Memorial Church at the Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto. (Leavitt subsequently served as a special preacher at the university, delivering the sermon on alternate Sundays during the academic year, and he gave several baccalaureate sermons at Stanford graduation services during his tenure at First Unitarian Church).