The NC Council of Churches has posted some resources for worship planners for the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, and there are a couple more links at the end of this blog. We also want to make you aware of community services which are being planned. Here’s what we’ve currently learned about. (I realize that some of them may conflict with regular Sunday events for some of you.)
GREENSBORO
Greensboro is holding multiple events, with the main one taking place on Sunday afternoon at the new amphitheatre from 4 to 7:30 pm. It’s being coordinated by theVolunteerCenter, with a number of partnering agencies, including the Human Relations Commission, NCCJ, FaithAction, United Way, emergency response agencies, media, the schools, and others. Council Board member Julie Peeples is on the steering committee. It’s part of a national effort connected to the Points of Light Foundation. There will be service projects, performances, nonprofits exhibits, food drive, blood drive. It’s a community-wide effort.
RALEIGH
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church (one of the Council’s member congregations) will host an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Prayer from 4 to 5 p.m. as we remember the victims of 9/11 and all that this event has meant for our world in the ten years since the towers fell. Representatives of various faiths will be present to share prayers from their traditions as we re-commit ourselves to interfaith dialogue, cultural understanding, and world peace.
Also in Raleigh, Wake County Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring an “Abraham Build,” involving building teams from the Abrahamic faiths: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. They will have a service from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on the 11th. Speakers will include Chris Chapman, pastor of First Baptist, Raleigh; Eric Solomon, rabbi of Temple Beth Meyer, Raleigh; Abdullah Antepli, Muslim chaplain at Duke; Raleigh mayor Charles Meeker; Raachal Jurovics, rabbi of Yavneh, Raleigh; and former Congressman Bob Etheridge.
CHARLOTTE
Charlotte Comes Together… In Remembrance: A 9.11 Memorial takes place at 7 p.m. at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. It is an interfaith collaborative event between Myers Park Baptist Church, Carolina Voices, Mecklenburg Ministries, and Friendship Missionary that will feature a 150-voice choir and 34-member orchestra performing Rene Clausen’s moving “Memorial.” Speakers will include: Jennifer Roberts,CountyCommissioner; Rabbi Judy Schindler of Temple Beth El; Maria Hanlin of Mecklenburg Ministries; and Rev. Clifford Jones of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.
Additional Worship Resources:
Compiled by the National Council of Churches, there are many excellent resources here, including those from several of our member denominations.
In addition, the Kentucky Council of Churches has developed prayers to mark the occasion.
It is my prayer that this 10th anniversary will focus on remembrance of those who died, acknowledge how our lives have been affected, and voice an interfaith response to hatred, violence, and terror. It is my fervent prayer that this anniversary NOT be an occasion for anti-Islam rhetoric or activity. May we all work together to make it so.
–George Reed, Executive Director
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