9/11 Interfaith Gathering at Decatur Hotel Sunday
Decatur Metro | September 9, 2011 | 9:45 amA friend involved with the event sends along this press release…
On Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 5:00PM, there will be an interfaith gathering on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Open to all and free of charge, the event will be held in the ballroom of the Decatur Hotel and Conference Center (formerly the Holiday Inn), located at 130 Clairemont Road, downtown Decatur, Georgia. Parking is available at the hotel for a charge and there is free parking at the Decatur First Baptist Church next door.
The 9/11/11 Interfaith Gathering planning committee includes Atlantans from a variety of faith expressions, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims.
The event will remember those who died on September 11, 2001, while seeking to shift our combined energies toward the building of relationships between faith communities and across lines that have divided us in the past. Music, readings and heartfelt, guided conversations among all participants will set the stage for greater communication and understanding between Atlanta’s many faith communities.
Our hope is to help heal the wounds of 9/11/01, and to move our wider community forward with hope and peace.
Our vision is to create space to foster dialogue, prayer across faith traditions, and mutual understanding.
Our goal is that this interfaith gathering will serve as a positive expression of unity in diversity, and will showcase what is happening across Decatur and Atlanta in interfaith relations.
Our aspiration is that at the end of the day, participants will have formed new relationships that will live and move beyond 9/11/11.
She also notes that “Carmen Agra Deedy, author of “14 Cows for America”, a very moving story about 9/11 for children and the child in us, will read her book at the 9/11 event.”
Sounds very nice. All First Responders (fire, police, etc.) are also invited to attend services at Peachtree Christian Church this Sunday at 11:00. First Responders are encouraged to wear their uniforms…or not.
http://www.peachtree.org/peachtreefamily/resources/crossroads.pdf
There is also a ceremony at 8AM Sunday in front of the DeKalb Police and Fire/Rescue headquarters in Tucker.
Are atheists invited? Perhaps lacking in faith, but optimistic thinkers and exceptionally non-violent folks, generally.
As my pastor has said, everyone is somewhere on the spectrum of faith and most intelligent folks have doubts from time to time. Atheists are welcome to worship in our church which is about community, not who belongs and who doesn’t.
Which church is that? We’re new to Decatur and looking for a church that’s diverse and welcoming to everyone.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Atlanta has many members in Decatur, even though it’s outside of the city near the REI off of Clairemont.
+1 for UUCA
-1 for all the parents who park on Cliff Valley and block one lane of traffic while dropping off and picking up their kids at the preschool.
…as does the Atlanta Friends Meeting (Quakers) on W. Howard in Decatur.
http://atlanta.quaker.org/index.html
+1 also for UUCA. Rev. David is the man! (and Rev. Keller is the woman!). Carl McColman spoke on this very subject at the book fest so it is nice to see it in practice. Sorry I will miss it and hope they continue doing this? Anyone know if there are plans to do this again?
Check out Oakhurst Baptist. Not your typical Baptist church. Our Covenant statement tells it:
http://oakhurstbaptist.org/WhoWeAre/OurCovenant/tabid/129/Default.aspx
We’d love to have you come visit us at Columbia Presbyterian Church: 11 am on Sunday, 7 pm Taize service.
http://cpcdecatur.org/
We are a diverse and welcoming community!