Resources for the Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 Tragedy:

 

Greeting

Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Church, world, souls, memories, longings and desires yearn for the ancient vision of the prophets to be fulfilled.

Right side:
The eyes blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongues of the speechless sing for joy.

Left side:
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert,
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water.
        Isaiah 35: 5-7

Leader: By the Spirit, a vision wells up in the people of God who yearn for healing and restoration; for justice, not terrorism; for forgiveness, not hate.

Right side:
Then God brought me back to the entrance of the temple. There, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple . . . south of the altar . .
    it was ankle-deep . . .
    then it was knee-deep . . .
    then it was up to the waist . . .
    then it was a river I could not cross.

Left side:
God led me back along the bank of the river.
As I came back,
I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees
on one side and on the other.
God said to me,

“Wherever the river goes…everything will live.
There will grow all kinds of trees for food.
Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
 From Ezekiel 471-12

 

Prayer of Remembrance

Remember, O God, those who suffer the loss of loved ones …
Remember all who have died in the conflict with terrorism …
Remember those who are still filled with fear or anger …
Remember this nation and those we call enemies …
Stir your church to declare your peace where there is hatred …
Hold all in your love and justice …
(Here the presiding minister or another person might offer specific intercessions appropriate to the occasion)

 

Prayer of Confession (especially composed for the 9/11 anniversary)

God our hope and refuge,
we confess that anger and hatred have held on to us.
Healing has begun, but loss is still real.
      We are not in control.
      We don’t like being vulnerable.
      We still want security or the illusion of it.
      We still want our enemies to be annihilated
      and for our lives to return to safety and Shalom.
Forgive us and heal us.
Raise us to new life.
Strengthen us in the way of compassion and justice.
Fix our faith on you
      so we know that nothing can separate us from you,
      through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Suggested Scripture Readings:

Isaiah 35: 1-10
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Isaiah 43:1-3a, 18-19, 25
Isaiah 61: 1-3a
Psalm 27 (The United Methodist Hymnal, 758)
Psalm 91 (The United Methodist Hymnal, 810)
Psalm 103 (The United Methodist Hymnal, 824)
Psalm 146 (The United Methodist Hymnal, 858)
Romans 8
Romans 14: 7-12
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
Revelation 21: 1-4
John 3: 16-17
John 11: 1-44

Suggested Hymns:

"It Is Well with My Soul"
"For Those Who Mourn"
"Trust and Obey"
"Saranam, Saranam"
"Be Still, My Soul"
"How Firm a Foundation"
"On Eagle's Wings"
"Pues Si Vivimos" ("When We Are Living")
"He’s the Lily of the Valley"
"Why Has God Forsaken Me?"
"Out of the Depths" (Psalm 130)
"His Eve Is on the Sparrow ("Why Should I Feel Discouraged?")
"Give Peace" (Da Pacem Cordium")
"Come and Fill Our Hearts" ("Confitemini Domino")
"We Are Called"
"Wounded World that Cries for Healing"
"Why Stand So Far Away, My God"
"Unsettled World"
"For One Great Peace"
"Song of Hope" ("Canto de Esperanza")
"Eternal Father, Strong to Save"
"In the Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful"
"O Lord, Hear My Prayer"
"Joy Comes with the Dawn"
"Healer of Our Every Ill"
"Come Now, O Prince of Peace"