Many churches, temples, and mosques across Colorado marked the anniversary of 9/11 during their services over the weekend. Here are some excerpts from those services.
Temple Sinai, South Denver
[Bryan Zive and Kol Echad performing "Oseh Shalom"]
Rabbi Richard Rheins: "Remember back. Zachor! Remember back to those days! The things that once seemed so important were set aside during those seven days of Shiva. It was a week with no Dow Jones. No NASDAQ reports. A week with no baseball games or football. Elections were delayed. International meetings postponed. School activities curtailed. This Sunday we will remember and not forget."
Mile Hi Church, Lakewood
[Music from Sean Galloway and the Mile High Church band]
Minister Roger W. Teel: "And thus it is that there's a time to let go of fear. There's a time to allow ourselves to experience something larger - and that is the space of love for ourselves, for others, and for life itself. It doesn't mean that our grieving is entirely over, but it gives us a strength and it gives us the platform to move in our lives. On this 10th anniversary of 9/11, how important for us not to remain a culture filled just with fear, but to move into a sense of love and oneness and to allow the deep and true recoveery of our culture and of our species to move forth in our lives."
The Potter's House, Denver
[The Potter's House choir performs "Never Shall Forget"]
Pastor Chris Hill: "God we’ve got bombs...but there’s a balm in Gilead. God we’ve got guns, but there is no protection like the Holy Ghost. God confuse terroristic cells in the name of Jesus. I arrest every devil in the name of Jesus that would come against this nation and in Jesus’ name...I declare and decree that America is blessed in Jesus' name! Blessed from the Rockies! Blessed to the Atlantic! Blessed to the pacific! From sea to shining sea we declare the blessing from the Lord. And if you believe this prayer, would you praise him like it’s already done!"
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver
Interfaith Service
Reverend Cynthia Cearley: “On this day, September 11, 2011 we choose to be together rather than to remain separate. We choose to love in the face of hate. We choose understanding amid all kinds of confusion. We choose faith over hopelessness and finally we choose each other. We stand against the horrific actions of this day that cut to the heart of American life and we stand together for God’s love that can heal the human heart."
Imam Abdur Rahim Ali: “We are a people who are one nation, different ethnicities coming together as one and this group here symbolizes the hope that we have of unifying not only our nation here but humanity all over the world. That is our hope, that is our dream, that is our prayer.”
[Choir and Congregation sings "Imagine"]
David Fender produced and mixed this feature with audio collected and edited by Ryan Warner, Michelle P. Fulcher, Lee Hill, and Andrea Dukakis
[Photo: Michelle P. Fulcher/CPR]
