wfn.org | Title: UFMCC Resource Kit for Organizing Community Prayer

[UfmccHq@aol.com]

A RESOURCE KIT
Prepared By The Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches

Organizing Community Prayer Vigil
In The Aftermath of The Destruction of the
World Trade Center and the Attack on the U.S. Pentagon

INDEX:
1.  Message From Rev. Elder Troy Perry
2.  Twelve Action Steps For Organizing A Prayer Vigil
3.  Suggested Order Of Service
4.  Worship Resources
     -- Call To Worship
     -- Readings and Scriptures
     -- Prayers of the People
     -- Closing Prayer
     -- Hymn List

A Message From the Rev. Elder Troy Perry
Office of the UFMCC Moderator

September 12, 2001

Dear Saints:

The unprecedented tragedy at the World Trade Center in New York City and the
Pentagon near Washington, DC and the deaths of more than 10,000 persons
urgently call us to prayer.

Many of our churches are in the process of opening their doors to welcome
people who wish to spend time in prayer and meditation -- and many churches
are organizing prayer vigils. Such vigils afford your community an
opportunity to come together to share our common grief, offer our common
prayers, and draw strength from our common faith.

I commend to you the following resources for use in community prayer vigils.
These materials have been prepared today by our UFMCC Headquarters Staff.

I also want to add an important personal and pastoral note:

While early news reports speculate that the perpetrators of these terrible
actions may be Muslim terrorists, we must be reminded that, even should this
prove true, such persons represent a minority view within the Muslim
communities. The majority of Muslims around the world also long for peace and
are praying with us today.

In Christ,

The Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches

TWELVE ACTION STEPS:

1.  If you have a church e-mail list, send a notice by e-mail to inform your
church's members and friends of this special prayer vigil.

2.  Contact other community groups -- social justice, ecumenical and
interfaith -- and ask them to share the announcement of your vigil through
their communications systems.

3.  Call local TV stations and newspapers and give them details of your
community prayer vigil -- date, time, location. If you maintain fax or e-mail
press lists, send this information by fax and e-mail.

4.  Call other churches near you and invite them to participate in your
community-wide prayer vigil.

5.  You may also wish to announce that your church doors will be open prior
to the vigil for people to stop by and pray.

6.  Contact your church musicians and ask them to participate in the prayer
vigil. Themes of prayer, comfort, hope and resurrection are appropriate for
such a service.

7. Contact churches in your area and invite their choirs and musicians to
take part in this service.

8.  Place a notice about the vigil on your church's website.

9.  If you have a church phone tree, use it notify friends and members of
this important service.

10.  If time allows, print simple posters announcing the Community Pray Vigil
and place them in bookstores, coffeehouses, community centers, colleges and
community bulletin boards.

11.  You may wish to incorporate time in the service for worshippers to light
candles in memory of those who died in this tragedy. This can be a powerful
and tangible expression of our prayers and our faith.

12.  If your church conducts a community prayer vigil, please send a notice
to UFMCCHQ@aol.com. We will maintain this information as part of our UFMCC
archives.

SUGGESTED ORDER OF SERVICE:
Here is a suggested order of service for a community-wide prayer vigil. Adapt
the service as appropriate for your local circumstances and ministry. You may
wish to add additional sections or delete some sections based on
appropriateness, availability of musicians, etc.

Order of Service

Meditative Choral or Instrumental Music

Call To Worship

Invocation

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Hymn of Gathering

Scripture Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures

Scripture Lesson from the Epistles

Hymn of Affirmation

Scripture Lesson from the Gospels

Choral Selection or Instrumental Music

Brief Homily or Meditation

Hymn or Choral Selection

Lighting of Memorial Candles

Moment of Silence

Guided Prayers and Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn

Benediction

Postlude

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Call to Worship

One:  I sought our God and God answered me,
Many:  bI am here.b
One:  I cried out to God and God answered me,
Many:  bI am here.b
One:  I said, bDo not leave me alone,b and God answered me,
Many:  bI am here.b
One:  I am overwhelmed and God said to me,
Many:  bI am here.b
One:  Source of our strength, Bearer of our hope,
     Gather around us now.
Wrap your unending presence around us,
     For surely you are with us.
You are here to
     Grieve with us and rage with us.
You are here to
     Quiet our fears and calm our hearts.
Turn our hearts to you,
     We ask in the name of Christ.B  Amen.

Readings and Scripture Lessons
Muslim Prayer

O God, thou are peace. From thee is peace and unto thee is peace. Let us
live, our Sovereign, in peace and receive us in thy paradise, the abode of
peace. Thine is the majesty and the praise. We hear and we obey. Grant us thy
forgiveness, Sovereign, and unto thee be our becoming.

Psalm 34:4-8

I sought our God, and God answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
Look to God and be radiant;
So your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor soul cried, and was heard by our God,
And was saved from every trouble.
The angel of God encamps around those who fear God
And delivers them.

Romans 8:35-39

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
bFor your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep
to
be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
Christ who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

John 14:1-3

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. IIn
my Parentbs house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I
have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I
am, there you may be also.

Prayers of the People
Invite people to share aloud or in silence any particular prayers that they
have at the end of each section.

Everlasting God,

We come to you today with so many thoughts and feelings, worries and fear.

We lift up to you today those who have died.

We mourn their loss and we thank you that their time of fear and pain has
ended, and that they are now with you.

We pray for b&

We pray for those who struggle now to live, for all who were injured, who now
face pain, fear, and uncertainty.

We pray for b&

We ask for your healing presence for the loved ones of those who have died
and those who are injured. Give them the strength that they need to continue
on.

For those who still wait, not knowing whether their loved ones are dead or
alive, we ask for your merciful touch upon their hearts.

We pray for b&

We pray for the emergency personnel who are working so tirelessly to save
lives and bring through this tragedy those who still cling to life,

We lift up the police, firefighters, military, and hospital workers and all
who are aiding the survivors.

We pray for b&

We pray for all who fear in this time and we long for your peace in our
cities and in our land. Keep us from civil unrest, and from blame and anger
directed at those who are innocent.B 

Do not let this tragedy be the fuel for racism or hatred of any kind, for we
see here the terrible price of hatred.

We seek your guidance, too, as we think of those who are responsible for this
devastating loss of life. We know that you are with them as well. Give them
the courage to come to justice and end this terror.

We beg for your presence in our hearts, as we struggle with so many emotions:
our fears, our anger, our grief, our desire for retaliation. Guide us and
fill us with your peace.B 

We don't know what to do b& this is overwhelming. On you, O God, we rely. To
you we turn.
Uphold us, we pray.

Closing Prayer:
Hear the promise of Jesus, bPeace I leave with you; my peace I give toyou.
Do
not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Go in the peace
of Christ.

Suggested Hymn List:
Abide With Me
Amazing Grace
God Will Take Care of You
Have Faith In God
He Leadeth Me
I Need The Every Hour
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
It Is Well With My Soul
Let There Be Peace On Earth
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Nearer My God To Thee
O God, Our Help In Ages Past
Rock of Ages
Saviour, Like A Shepherd Lead Us
Sweet Hour of Prayer
'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
What A Friend We Have In Jesus

(END)

For Additional Information, Contact:
Jim Birkitt, Communications Director
UFMCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, Second Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069
Tel. (310) 360-8640, Ext. 226
E-Mail: UFMCCHQ@aol.com
Website: www.ufmcc.com