wfn.org | Bishops call members to prayer in wake of terrorist attacks

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Sept. 11, 2001 News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-71B{381}

NOTE:  The full text of the bishops' Call to Prayer is at the end of this
story.

A UMNS Report
By Tom McAnally and Tim Tanton*

United Methodists around the world are being called to prayer by their
bishops in wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and
Washington.

Members are also being encouraged to give to the church's relief agency and
to donate blood in their local communities.

"It is a time of national grief and sorrow," the bishops said. "It is also a
time for gathering, for strength and for prayer. Our hearts are open to all
those who have been personally affected by this national tragedy. United
Methodist churches will be holding prayer vigils throughout the world
tonight and tomorrow night. We invite you to join us in praying for wisdom,
comfort and healing in this difficult time."

Leaders of the church are being asked to organize prayer vigils Tuesday
night, Sept. 11, and Wednesday, Sept. 12.  Contributions can be made through
local United Methodist churches, designated for UMCOR (United Methodist
Committee on Relief), "Domestic Disaster Response," No. 901670-1. Donations
also can be made by calling (800) 554-8583.

The call was issued on behalf of the United Methodist Council of Bishops by
Bishop Elias Galvan of Seattle, president. The council includes 50 active
bishops in the United States, 17 active bishops in Africa, Europe and Asia,
and about 60 retired bishops. The denomination has 8.4 million members in
the United States and more than a million elsewhere.

Bishop Ernest Lyght, who leads the United Methodist Church's New York Area,
said his office would be in contact with UMCOR.

There was "tremendous concern" among the New York Annual Conference staff,
which gathered during the morning for prayer, Lyght said. Some conference
employees live in Manhattan and others know people who work there.

"Our response will be what the church can and must always do, and that is to
be in a posture of prayer for the people who have suffered in these
tragedies in the multiple locations and for those who are family members and
friends, and those who have the responsibility of responding medically and
fire personnel," Lyght said.

"As we call the church to prayer ... I think that we must also keep our
president, our Congress, our national leaders in prayer so that we as a
nation can determine what the appropriate response is and seek to find God's
will in that response."

Bishop Felton Edwin May, leader of the United Methodist Church's Washington
Area, called on his congregations to open their doors for prayer today and
tonight, as deemed safe by local church leaders.

"Many of our churches have members, loved ones and neighbors who work in
military and governmental situations or other situations where they are
experiencing threat and fear," May said. "We need to be in prayer
individually and, when possible, corporately for our nation, the world's
people, and, especially, those who have been most directly victimized by
these horrendous acts."

Many local churches announced plans to hold prayer vigils in the area.

"The United Methodist Church will respond quickly and confidently to support
our members and neighbors during this time of crisis," May said. "Let us be
a people of prayer, compassion and action during the days ahead." 

Bishop Joe Pennel Jr. said every pastor in his Virginia Area has been asked
to have a prayer vigil as soon as possible. Churches near airports and
Amtrak stations are also being organized to assist people who are stranded.
"We are hoping that our churches will bring these people into their homes
and churches and offer them all types of assistance. Church members are also
being encouraged to go to train stations and airports to offer assistance to
stranded travelers."

The Rev. Mike Meloy, superintendent of Virginia's Peninsula District, is
meeting with pastors Wednesday to deal specifically with how they will
preach Sunday, according to Pennel. The district is near a lot of military
installations, and its members include many military families.  

The Rev. Steve Hassmer, pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church, a mile
from the Pentagon, said the churchwide TV campaign slogan -- open hearts,
open minds, open doors -- suddenly became timely. "Once we were aware of the
disaster, we literally opened the doors of our church and have made the
sanctuary available for prayer, phones for people trying to contact loved
ones, refreshments, rest room and counseling. Traffic is bumper to bumper.  

"Most of the people coming in have been pedestrians who were on the Metro
and other systems that were shut down," he said. "We've been praying with
people and giving them a chance to collect their thoughts as needed."

The church, near Crystal City, Va., is offering facilities for families
evacuated from high-rise apartment buildings in the area, Hassmer said.
"We're trying to find out if we can minister in the longer term to families
of victims or to travelers stranded at Reagan International Airport." 

Employees of United Methodist agencies located in New York and Washington
are safe.  

In New York, several United Methodist agencies and other religious
organizations share space at 475 Riverside Drive in northern Manhattan, a
lengthy distance from the World Trade Center. The 19-story building houses
the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the board's UMCOR, the
churchwide Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, the
National Council of Churches and others. The denomination also owns the
Church Center at the United Nations. 

The Riverside building is remaining open all night for employees who can't
leave Manhattan, said Linda Bloom, director of the United Methodist News
Service bureau at the building. She described it as being under heightened
security. 

Employees, many of whom know people who worked at the trade center, held a
noon prayer service, Bloom said. Even people who knew no one in the
buildings or on the planes felt a combination of things - "horror at the
number of deaths and destruction, the threat that you still feel against the
city, ... fright," she said. "It's unbelievable, and I think most people
here are still in total shock."

In Washington, the Board of Church and Society, the Commission on Religion
and Race and units of other agencies have offices in the Methodist Building
across the street from the Capitol and Supreme Court Building.

As soon as news of the tragedy spread, staff at the Methodist Building
gathered for prayer, according to Jim Winkler, top staff executive for the
church's Board of Church and Society. Amid rumors of explosions on Capitol
Hill, Capitol security police encouraged all inside the Methodist Building
to leave. Most of the staff left, but Winkler, who resides in Virginia, said
getting home would have been extremely difficult because of the Pentagon
fire.  He and a few others remained.

As he spoke with UMNS, Winkler said he was watching crowds of press people
interviewing government officials in the street outside the building. "Every
10 feet there are officers as far as the eye can see," he said. 

Asked what he, as head of the church's social advocacy agency, would say to
United Methodists, he called for prayer. "Secondly, I would urge people not
to rush to judgment." Recalling how members of the Arab and Islamic
communities were quickly blamed following the Oklahoma City bombing, Winkler
said he had been in touch with officials from Washington-based Islamic
groups expressing his concern. "They have already received death threats,"
he said.

United Methodist-related American University in Washington was among several
major campuses in the city that shut down Tuesday following the attack.

In Nashville, Tenn., the United Methodist Publishing House shut down because
of its proximity to the U.S. Federal Building, a block away, which was
closed. The Commission on United Methodist Men also announced that it was
canceling its fall meeting, set for Sept. 13-15 in Nashville, because of the
travel that would have been required for governing members.

The National Council of Churches denounced the attacks in a statement signed
by the Rev. Robert Edgar, top staff executive, and the Rev. John McCullough,
executive director of the council's Church World Service.

"We condemn these vicious attacks in the strongest possible terms," the NCC
said. "Even as our national sites are under attack, we call on all people to
manifest the best of our national spirit. At such a time as this, we must
hold together. We call on people of faith to reach out to one another.

"We especially urge churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of
worship to join in prayer and practical help," the NCC said. "We must stand
united against the temptation to retaliate against innocent persons."

#  #  #
*McAnally is director and Tanton is news editor of United Methodist News
Service.

The full text of the bishops' statement follows: 

COUNCIL OF BISHOPS ISSUES CALL FOR PRAYER

It is a time of national grief and sorrow. It is also a time for gathering,
for strength and for prayer. Our hearts are open to all those who have been
personally affected by this national tragedy. United Methodist Churches will
be holding prayer vigils throughout the world tonight and tomorrow night. We
invite you to join us in praying for wisdom, comfort and healing in this
difficult time.

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is calling on all
churches and members throughout the world to participate in a prayer vigil
tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 11, and Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Please take initiative to organize this vigil in cooperation with your
church members.   

This is a time to put into action what we know in our hearts and what we are
striving to commit to be reality -- that our hearts, our minds and our doors
are TRULY open.  

In addition to prayers, we ask that: 
*  contributions be made for disaster relief through your local church to
United Methodist Committee on Relief (Designate your contributions to
"Domestic Disasters.")
*  blood be donated through your local blood bank.  

United Methodist Communications, at the request of the Council of Bishops,
has also changed the message of our national television commercials, which
invite persons to our local churches for prayers vigils tonight and tomorrow
night. 

PLEASE DON'T REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL -- WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE
VOLUME OF RESPONSES.  SIMPLY PASS ALONG THE NEWS AND CHECK YOUR E-MAIL FOR
MORE DETAILS TO COME.  

ALSO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA TO HELP NOTIFY YOUR CHURCH MEMBERS AND
THE COMMUNITY OF THIS VIGIL TO OCCUR TONIGHT.  

May God be with us all during this time.

Council of Bishops
Bishop Elias Galvan, Seattle Area, president

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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