Minister’s Message

Dear Ones,

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? I sure do. There was an all-hands meeting scheduled for 9 am at the company where I worked. Although the meeting went on as planned, no one was listening. We were all horrified by what we had been watching on the news all morning. In the shock of the moment, perhaps my office manager thought it was best to get everyone back to “business as usual” to avoid dwelling on the incident. Sometimes sticking to the routine can help us regulate our nervous systems. But that day, there was nothing usual. The terrorist attacks affected us all. 

There were so many heroes that day, so much generosity in the aftermath. Yet there was also fear and anger misdirected into hatred toward all Muslims and anyone who looked to be of Middle Eastern descent. Tragically, that hatred continues, making our beloved Muslim and BIPOC neighbors feel unwelcome and unsafe. 

Our UU values of justice, equity, pluralism, and love call us to examine our own hearts for prejudice and to treat all with respect. We choose to acknowledge our biases, welcome our neighbors, recognize our commonalities, and learn from our differences. 

Today, let us remember all those who died on 9/11, those whose health was adversely impacted, those who lost loved ones, those who cared for the injured, and those who were persecuted because of their religion or the color of their skin.

Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, the UU Association’s president, offers this prayer:

In the name of all that we hold Holy,
guided by an abundance of Love,
help us lean into one another,
across communities and memory and faiths,
to make of this anniversary a time of remembrance,
of learning, of reconnection and repair.

Let the meaning of this day be defined
by those whose lives were forever changed by it,
as we work to resist and disrupt narratives of hate
once again surging against beloved kin.

Today may we make time to mourn, and to reflect
on all that led up to 9-11 and all that has been waged in its name.
May we remind one another of what it means
to center love and justice in our daily living,
and may we find ways to make our everyday choices a living prayer.

We do this in community, to renew our hope for the future and our commitment to our shared values. We do this as a people of faith.

May it be so. Amen, Axé, and Blessed Be.

You can read President Betancourt’s Statement on the 25th Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks HERE.  

In faith,

Rev. Susan