Donations may be made to UMCOR's Advance # 901125-3, Love in the Midst of Tragedy. Give through your local United Methodist church or mail contributions to:
UMCOR,
475 Riverside Dr.
Room 330
New York, NY 10115.
Call 800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation.

OR

Make check payable to "Advance GCFA." Write "Love in the Midst of Tragedy, Code #901125-3" on the check. Send your check to Advance GCFA, P.O.Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY, 10087-9068.
Call 888-252-6174 to make a credit card donation.

Signs of Hope

One week after the tragedy struck New York, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and the nation, there are signs of hope.

The healing process began with candlelight gatherings all across the region. At 7 pm Friday, strangers hugged each other in front of their apartment buildings as they lit whatever kind of candles they could find. In the predominantly Catholic Dominican community in Washington Heights, they laid votives all up and down the median on Broadway. Nuns from Cabrini Center crossed the street to greet their Jewish neighbors. In parks throughout Brooklyn, hundreds of people gathered together. In small communities across the area, people spontaneously gathered in front of fire stations. Small memorials of flowers and candles dotted sidewalks, storefronts, and grassy spots all over New York.

Amidst the devastation, we take comfort in the Methodist connectional system. The groundswell of email messages from General Board of Global Ministries partners continues. GBGM general secretary, Dr. Randolph Nugent, received over 290 email prayers and messages from around the world. By Friday, phone service was restored sufficiently for some international phone calls to reach New York. And, those messages of support continue to sustain us; messages are on this web site at: http://gbgm-umc.org/news/2001/sept/attacksupport.cfm.

On Sunday, churches across the country were full. There was standing room only in Manhattan churches as tourists, the unchurched, and congregation members alike crowded into social halls and Sunday School rooms when sanctuaries became full. A number of the services included a strong interfaith presence as Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim as well as Christian clerics read from their holy books and prayed for the victims, their families, and the country.

United Methodist churches were close to ground zero. Metropolitan-Duane, across the street from St. Vincent's Hospital which received many of the injuried, and John Street, located just blocks from the World Trade Center towers, both opened their doors. Hospital and emergency workers joined families of missing people in prayer and worship. And, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will be working with churches throughout the New York area to provide trauma counseling and other services that will be needed long after the TV cameras have left.

As New Yorkers try to get back to their usual routines, there is a quiet calm. But, one could not walk more than half a block without seeing the police presence on every street corner, subway station, major building, parks, schools and other public spaces. With this new added security, children went back to school and adults went to work. By Monday evening, musicians were back in subway stations, television stations resumed some of their regular programming, and families were strolling the parks. Votive candles continue to flicker as people pray for the victims, their families, justice and peace. And, parents are holding the hands of their children just a little tighter.

For GBGM, staff mourn the loss of loved ones, including family members and friends of staff. And, we know that our mission work right in our own backyard will extend for weeks, months, and years to come.

See also:

Methodist church draws Wall Street area to worship
John Street pastor addresses 'open wound' from tragedy