Remembering September 11, 2001
We will remember 9/11/2001 during worship tomorrow. It will part of our worship service and will include Prayer, Music, both patriotic and sacred, and naming of names for those who lost their lives on the day. We will also read texts for the healing of the nations: a Jewish text, a Muslim text, and a Christian text. We will stand for the gospel.
There is obviously some question over the use of the Muslim tradition, and in preparing our congregation for worship, we sent the following email on Friday:
On Sunday morning we will remember September 11 and begin our new series, The Lord's Prayer. The intersection of these two events is significant in light of the gospel. Obviously, 911 was a religious and political attack on the United States. The Lord's Prayer is a theological and political prayer asking for "Our Father" to bless the world and transform violence into peace "on earth as it is in heaven." We remember 911 with the voice of the Lord's Prayer - forgiveness, provision, reconciliation, and the eradication of evil.
During our remembrance and seeking the peace of the nations, we will pray and remember, sing to God on behalf of America, and read Scriptures to seek the peace that only comes through Jesus Christ. We will read two sacred Scriptures, one from the Old Testament (Isaiah) and one from the New Testament (Matthew). We will also read one text from the Muslim tradition, and we will place it between the Biblical readings. We read the Islamic text evangelistically - hoping that participants in Islam will discover that the peace named in their scripture will be discovered through the Triune God embodied in Jesus Christ, alone. These three readings represent the voices of the three Abrahamic Faiths, the three dominant religions that emerge from God's chosen one, Abraham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_faith).
We invite you to begin the prayer for peace and the healing of the nations today. Begin the prayer in your homes that we will then bring collectively to God on Sunday, September 11. Invite your friends, and join us for worship on Sunday at 10:30 am to cry out to God for the healing of the nations, the blessing of this nation, and the faithful witness of the church - the people of Jesus Christ.
It is our hope that during this remembrance, we will be able to head God's call that even the most despised of enemies will be invited to discover the peace fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
There is obviously some question over the use of the Muslim tradition, and in preparing our congregation for worship, we sent the following email on Friday:
On Sunday morning we will remember September 11 and begin our new series, The Lord's Prayer. The intersection of these two events is significant in light of the gospel. Obviously, 911 was a religious and political attack on the United States. The Lord's Prayer is a theological and political prayer asking for "Our Father" to bless the world and transform violence into peace "on earth as it is in heaven." We remember 911 with the voice of the Lord's Prayer - forgiveness, provision, reconciliation, and the eradication of evil.
During our remembrance and seeking the peace of the nations, we will pray and remember, sing to God on behalf of America, and read Scriptures to seek the peace that only comes through Jesus Christ. We will read two sacred Scriptures, one from the Old Testament (Isaiah) and one from the New Testament (Matthew). We will also read one text from the Muslim tradition, and we will place it between the Biblical readings. We read the Islamic text evangelistically - hoping that participants in Islam will discover that the peace named in their scripture will be discovered through the Triune God embodied in Jesus Christ, alone. These three readings represent the voices of the three Abrahamic Faiths, the three dominant religions that emerge from God's chosen one, Abraham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_faith).
We invite you to begin the prayer for peace and the healing of the nations today. Begin the prayer in your homes that we will then bring collectively to God on Sunday, September 11. Invite your friends, and join us for worship on Sunday at 10:30 am to cry out to God for the healing of the nations, the blessing of this nation, and the faithful witness of the church - the people of Jesus Christ.
It is our hope that during this remembrance, we will be able to head God's call that even the most despised of enemies will be invited to discover the peace fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Comments
Post a Comment