When the Twin Towers fell peoples of the world from Times Square to Tehran came together as one as they repudiated the evil of a few until that evil was met with shock and awe upon the birthplace of Abraham and some say of civilization itself.
Upon the tenth anniversary of that horror hundreds of residents of Marion County
Hindus, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Baha’i , humanists and others across the spectrum of faith and non faith traditions - came together once again to recreate the oneness of all at a 9/11 service of remembrance, hope and healing at the First Congregational United Church of Christ.
In an event sponsored by The Interfaith Alliance of Marion County laity , youth and religious leaders read from the tenets of their faiths while singers offered the balm of music in a liturgy of candles directed by Dr. Harold W. McSwain, pastor of the host congregation.
Homilist Dr. Scott Olsen, professor of religion and philosophy at CF, called upon us to consider both the golden and the silver rules - universal variants of “ do unto others as you would have them do to you” found in all ethical traditions.
Those attending left the sanctuary singing euphorically “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” as they moved to the fellowship hall where they lingered for some time in an expanding circle of hope and friendship.
The Interfaith Alliance is grateful to all who participated in an exhilarating evening of enlightenment, tolerance and good will reflecting the basic goodness of most human beings. This includes the Ocala Star Banner for its very generous publicity expressed through its community liaison Mary Baggs and the artist who transformed my sketch into an ad of somber beauty and quiet drama
Please join with us as we continue to work locally to build common ground thus helping to transform our small part of a torn and broken world with love, justice and respect for the inherent dignity and worth of each and every human being.
Delphine Blachowicz Herbert
The Interfaith Alliance of Marion County
TIAofMarionCountyFL@gmail.com
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