September 11, 2001 - One Year Later
In Today's Edition:
September 11 Commemorations Spread Worldwide
>> "The Terrorists Have Lost And God Has Won," Says A Ground Zero Chaplain
In an interview with Dan Wooding from ASSIST News Service, Mike MacIntosh, a Ground Zero chaplain who conducted a week-long outreach of love and compassion to the people of New York City from August 26-September 2, says, "The terrorists have lost and God has won."
After a speaking engagement at the Centennial Hall in New York, MacIntosh told Wooding, "Having worked at Ground Zero, I remember one night looking up there and wondering how these people that did this have so much hatred and now I realize that a lot of good has come out of it."
As part of his view that the terrorists lost, MacIntosh went on to say, "Our team visited a police station here in New York where the officer sat in front of a sign which said, 'Complaints.' After some of our team started to share the Lord with him and he prayed to receive the Lord and he has no complaints now. The terrorists lost!
"Nine elderly people in a retirement home had some Christians go in yesterday and sing worship songs for them and out of the there, nine of them accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The terrorists lost again. Jesus is becoming real to so many because of his love. The terrorists are losing because of their hate."
>> Post-Sept. 11 Missionaries Tell of Deepened Resolve
(Baptist Press) -- On Nov. 13, 2001, barely two months after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, a record number of new missionaries -- 124 - were appointed by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. The catastrophe of Sept. 11 didn't cause any of them to drop out. From Columbia, S.C., those new missionaries scattered to every point on the compass, all 15 of the regions in which the IMB works.
But in some areas, American missionary presence is now less welcome. Steve Warren, who was appointed in November to serve in Eastern Europe, wrote that the attacks gave him and his wife a sense of urgency to return to the mission field. "Our zeal for Christ remains strong and the urgency to share the Word is still great," he said. "But with other countries in our region becoming more unreceptive toward missionaries, we really do not know how long we will be welcome here."
Iva Kimbrough, who also serves in western South America, said being a part of the first group of missionaries to be appointed after Sept. 11 deeply affected her. "To learn that we were the largest group of missionaries to ever be appointed by the IMB -- and that this was not an expected occurrence, as the groups before us and after us were about half the size that we were -- was awesome," she said. "We were able to get a glimpse of the fact that God was up to something big and that he was including us! It brought home the fact that the events of Sept. 11 were no surprise to God." (Written by Tiffany Monhollon).
>> September 11 Commemorations Spread Worldwide
(ENS) -- Commemorations of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 have spread from Episcopal churches in the United States to Anglican churches around the world. Special prayers will be said throughout the day in England's Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday, September 11, 2002. A minute's silence will be held at 1:46 p.m. local time, the time that the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York.
"We are very aware of the warmth and long friendship that the people of the USA have for Canterbury Cathedral," said Dean Willis. "We will keep them in our prayers at this time of remembrance and reflection."
On September 11, "The World's Biggest Hug for Peace" will be sponsored by the World Peace Society of the University of Wollongong, south of Sydney. In an attempt to break the previous Guinness world record of 1802 people, the event will include a one-minute "silent hug" for victims of war everywhere.
Trinity Parish in New York is offering its September 11 services streamed live on the Web and on the Episcopal Cathedral Teleconferencing Network. During the service, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, the Right Honorable Michael Oliver, will present Trinity with a bell in memory of those who died on September 11.
>> Sept. 11 Attacks Hardly Influenced Americans' Spirituality
(Baptist Press) -- Although nearly half the population says their faith was a critical resource in helping them respond to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a new Barna Research Group poll suggests that people's religious beliefs and practices have not changed in the past year.
The survey also found that barely half of the nation's churches acknowledged or addressed the attacks in any way. Only one of four adults who attend a Christian church said their church had engaged in specific prayer regarding the attacks, and fewer said their church had provided sermons or other teaching related to the attacks.
"None of the agents of influence seemed bent on seizing the attacks as a teaching moment or as a time to ignite deeper self-examination among Americans," said George Barna of the California-based research organization. "For the most part, our response to the attacks has been to restore continuity and comfort as quickly as possible, without much energy devoted to moral, spiritual or emotional growth."
The study, released Sept. 3, was based on telephone interviews during the past year with more than 6,000 randomly sampled adults in the 48 continental states. According to the poll, 25 percent of adults said their faith has been the "single most important resource" they have relied on and an additional 23 percent said their faith has been "one of several important resources" that has helped them react to the attacks.
>> Steven Curtis Chapman to Perform at Commemorative 9/11 Event
Coordinated by multiple NYC area churches, "A Tribute to Grace and Hope" will be held on September 11, 2002 at New York City's Madison Square Garden commemorating the one-year anniversary of 9/11 and will feature a special performance by Steven Curtis Chapman.
In addition to Chapman, the outreach event will also include music from many of Gospel and Christian music's top artists, including Third Day, Fred Hammond, and tobyMac. Speakers include James C. Dobson, Ph.D. (founder and president of Focus on the Family), as well as a New York City fire fighter, a police officer, World Trade Center survivors, and local pastors who will share their testimonies.
A unique twist in the event's festivities will be an exhibition at the arena's center court featuring New York Knicks' Allan Houston, Charlie Ward and Mark Jackson, along with a team of other professionals from the NBA and NFL.
Created to bring inspiration and hope, "A Tribute To Grace and Hope" will be broadcast live from Madison Square Garden on Sky Angel Networks at 7:00 p.m. E.T. A rebroadcast will air at 7:00 p.m. P.T., and a separate broadcast will air on TBN at 12:00 a.m. E.T.
>> Let's Roll Musical Tribute to 9/11 Heroes Releases
The multi-artist tribute, Let's Roll: Together in Unity, Faith and Hope, released this month as the nation observes the one-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Produced by Tony McAnany (Jennifer Knapp, 38th Parallel), Let's Roll features an all-star, multi-genre lineup, including Lila McCann, dc Talk, Wynonna, Nicole C. Mullen, Yo Yo Ma, Shane Minor, Steven Curtis Chapman, 38th Parallel, and others. The eclectic musical mix honors United Airlines Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer, who along with fellow passengers Jeremy Glick, Mark Bingham and Thomas Burnett, attempted to overpower the terrorists who diverted the plane toward our nation's capitol.
All sales proceeds from Let's Roll will benefit The Todd M. Beamer Foundation, established by the hero's widow, Lisa Beamer. Launched "to equip children experiencing family trauma to make heroic choices every day", the foundation also aims to "extend Todd Beamer's legacy of character, faith and courage."
Executive Director of The Todd M. Beamer Foundation, Douglass MacMillan, shares that "the Let's Roll CD is a coming together of many people and talents with one goal in mind--to help the children affected by the events of September 11. Each artist deserves many thanks for their time and effort. This CD is a lasting tribute to Todd and all of the American heroes of September 11."
>> Pakistan's Christians Told To Protect Themselves
According to the Compass Direct news agency, Pakistan officials have warned local church leaders to arm themselves for possible assaults by Muslim extremists. The advisory comes after two more deadly terrorist attacks last month against Christian institutions in the area.
Compass reported that Armed Islamic militants shot six people dead on August 5 at the Murree Christian School for missionary children. Four days later, extremists threw grenades at the chapel of Taxila Christian Hospital, killing five more and wounding another 26. All victims were Pakistani citizens.
The attacks were the most recent in a series of assaults on Christian targets since President Pervez Musharraf voiced his support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism. Grenade blasts had previously killed 21and wounded dozens in churches in Bahawalpur last October and Islamabad in March.
After the latest attacks, Islamabad's government ordered token protection by local police for Christian worship services. In Lahore, police told daily newspapers that lack of manpower meant they could only delegate one to three guards to protect all the city's 164 churches during Sunday services.
"Sundays are bad for us," a clergyman sighed. "Pray for us, that our people will get their confidence back, and not be afraid to come to church."
Originally published September 11, 2002.
