Houses of worship in the Greater Waco area plan to mark Sunday, Sept. 11, as a day of peace and reconciliation even as they remember the horrific events 10 years ago in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Some religious leaders said they will remain understated in their observances, while others plan candlelight vigils, special song services, exhibits and even the dedication of a new Habitat for Humanity home.

Al Siddiq, president of the Islamic Center of Waco, invites people of all faiths to attend a candlelight vigil in memory of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks.

Some area churches plan candlelight vigils to observe the Sept. 11 anniversary.
Kelly Lemons / Waco Tribune-Herald

“We hope this will ease tensions and backlash against Muslims,” Siddiq said. “In these times of prejudice and harassment, we need to come together and act not only against radical Muslims but radical forms of judgment and radical people living here on our own American soil.”

Baylor University Chaplain Burt Burleson said he is not surprised so many people and organizations are planning observances.

“As people of faith, we try to acknowledge what’s going on in the context of our lives together and our worship together. For example, when someone dies, we have a funeral,” Burleson said. “On this 9/11, we could not worship together without dealing with this tragedy in the context of what matters most to us.”

He said people want to unburden themselves by talking about the heaviness in their hearts.

“We feel the need to say something, to remember and pray,” Burleson said. “I believe there will be a lot of prayers for healing, the healing of what wounded us. We lost something that day: the sense that we were safe and the sense we were indestructible.

“Restoration is always going on in the context of worship.”

Rabbi Mordechai Rotem at Temple Rodef Sholom said his congregation will take part in interfaith activities on Sept. 11, including the candlelight vigil at the Islamic Center of Waco.

The fact we are still searching for relief 10 years later, he said, “shows that time does not do it all.”

Charles Packard, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, said he has not yet settled on his sermon topic for Sept. 11.

“But I can’t believe any pastor would ignore the event in prayer, whether or not a complete service is devoted to it,” he said. “We will pray for world peace and reconciliation, and we will pray for our enemies.”

Jimmy Dorrell, executive director of Mission Waco and pastor of the Church Under The Bridge that meets Sundays under Interstate 35 at South Fourth Street, said he has mixed emotions about what will happen next Sunday.

“I hope the issues raised that day focus on forgiveness and redemption, not on blaming the guy with a different colored skin,” Dorrell said. “Sometimes we get overly nationalistic. We’re right and everybody else is wrong. There is a real temptation to wrap a flag around Jesus, which I personally resist. God is bigger than that.”

Matt Snowden, pastor of Waco’s First Baptist Church, said he has scheduled no special services.

“But I’m sure we will mention the occasion during our intercessory prayers during worship,” he said.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com

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