9-11-01

It is one of those days that most of us will say, I remember where I was when I heard the news of the jets flying into the world trade center, like the day of Pearl Harbor, or the day John Kennedy was shot. It comes back to you in vivid pictures, noices and voices from the radio or tv, written print with their powerful words and images. I had been out for my daily walk with the dogs, was walking by the house next door where the painter was painting and listening to the radio, really loud. I heard the terrified upset voice of the announcer, the other noices in the background of the radio, and knew something was happening. I turned to the Painter and asked what was happened. He said rather nonchalontly that there was something about a jet flying into a building in New York. He got those words out, and went back to painting. I ran back inside the house, didn't even take the leashes off and turned on the tv. The minute I saw the images on CNN, I knew life was going to be different. I sat stunned as they then showed the 2nd jet flying into the 2nd tower. I could not ply myself away from the tv, did take the leashes off the dogs, as I was drawn in by what all was being shown. I did make a few phone calls, one to my hubby who was working at Ft. Benning. He said he already knew that the tv was on in the waiting room of the clinic, and that they were in immediate lockdown, he could not leave the clinic. That base was an open base, now you can't even get on the base without the proper id, a sticker on your car, or stopping at the office at the entrance for permission to go on base. I was suppose to speak that night at the United Methodist Women's meeting in the town below us at Lafayette First. I called to cancel, but the pastor , a friend of mine, told me they were still going to meet and to come on, that that sort of thing would touch their lives. So I went, should have said no. I put together some information, a liturgy, some responses, we as Christians, Methodist and persons needed to have. The Pastor was right, it didn't matter to them. I was mad that I had went and that it didn't matter to them. All day I had been receiving calls from my members, it did matter to them. I went next door to the church and unlocked it, made some calls to let it be know the church was open for prayer. Being the only full time pastor in that little town, I realized it was going to fall on me to organize community worship services, candle light services. So I started making calls and got some calls to organize and enlist the help of others to put those together. We were able to have some powerful joint community services with everybody attending, all the churches involved, black and white, young and old, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Holiness, and Pentecostal. We were all together praying and worshiping, hugging and caring. The big concern in our little town was the damn upstream from us at Lake Weedowee, that if they bombed it we would be flooded, so an effort was made to be prepared for that. We didn't get the numbers flocking to church like some of the big cities and big churches got, but we had powerful worship services. Our lives were touched and changed even in a little town in Alabama. Every year on 9-11 we would have a community worship candlelight service and every year it got smaller and smaller in attendance. But the last one that was the smallest had some of the best praying and singing I have ever heard, and we were one with each other, and one with God. But my little church, they could not and would not forget, and on 9-11 had some meaningful worship services, and creative ways to remember. I will always appreciate and remember them for that. Yesterday in the church that I am now serving, the Worship Leader began with a moment of silence and Prayer for the victims, survivors and families of 9-11. I didn't tell him to do it, we didn't plan it, although I wanted to, he did it because he wanted to and knew it was the right thing to do. Thank you. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing we would not forget, and would call on God to continue to be at work in our lives and country.

I didn't mean for this to go so long, I knew I wanted to write something, I was leaning toward a prayer, but it wouldn't come. So now I pause for a moment of silence and light a candle of memory, hope, and redemption. Will you pause with me.

I also want to link you to a friend of mine, Carmen Andres, post on her thoughts today. It is a great personal post with good images as well. Thanks Carmen for your perspective. As I have time today, I will be posting more on my thoughts, images, prayers, etc. I invite you to also leave your comments as you feel led to.