As we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we remember a day that changed lives not only in the United States, but around the world. The effects of 9/11 continue to be felt by individuals, families, and communities across generations and continents. We honor those who were lost, those who still carry the wounds of that day, and all who have suffered from the violence, fear, and conflict that followed.
After the attacks, UMCOR became a vehicle for the church’s compassionate response. Significant donations poured in from around the world—eventually totaling about $20 million—enabling UMCOR to fund “Love in the Midst of Tragedy.” This multi-year program helped survivors, families, and small businesses in impacted communities through financial assistance, job referrals, counseling, case management, and recovery planning as well as UMCOR’s work in Afghanistan.
Today, our world wrestles with the effects of unending violence, political polarization, nationalism, migration crises, conflict, climate change, and the consequences of fear—with disproportionate impact on vulnerable families and communities. Yet Christ’s call to us remains unchanged: to be peacemakers, to recognize the dignity of every person, and to work for a more just and peaceful world.
As we remember this solemn anniversary, may we recommit ourselves to healing, reconciliation, and peace.
Please join us in prayer:
God of a different way,
Twenty-five years later and we still remember:
the shock, the dust, the grief, the loss.
And if that was not enough, we remember the fear.
The fear that led to hatred and the hatred that led to violence.
Twenty-five years later and we have not forgotten
the outpouring of a church that chose a different way.
A people who extended compassion and care,
recognizing your image in the faces of their neighbors.
Twenty-five years later and we confess:
the strong grip of fear, its leveraging for power, has not lessened. It has grown.
Again and again, you have told us that fear does not have the final say,
and yet, we watch in disbelief as people keep choosing it.
Twenty-five years later and we must remember:
as your people, peace is something we are called to practice.
Again and again, may we lean into grace, love, and hope.
Today, O God, let our remembrance be a recommitment.
Amen.
