Reflections on Sept. 11, 2001
The impact on the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA
The Rev. Linda Olson Peebles
Minister of Religious Education
A little before 9:00 AM, September 11, 2001, in Arlington, Virginia,
many folks were making their ways to the Unitarian Universalist Church
of Arlington, the town/city across the Potomac River from Washington,
DC. Office staff arrived, and immediately pulled out TVs and radios,
alerted by their car radios and calls from family that something had
happened. Older church members were busy setting up for the big, celebratory
back-to-church meeting and luncheon of the Day Alliance group. They
decided to go ahead with their plans, waiting to learn what was happening.
Mothers, dads, and nannies were dropping off their preschoolers, for
the second day of the cooperative preschool year. Rev. Michael McGee
was in Cleveland, ending a visit with his daughter, and arrived at the
Cleveland airport where he was told his plane would not take off that
day.
A little after 9:00 AM, ministerial intern Henry Ticknor was driving
to the church, and saw a plane fly low and off-course over his head.
As he neared the church, he was stunned to see the plane dip to the
horizon in front of him, and then see the cloud of smoke rise up. He
arrived at the church, and walked into the office - shaken - and said,
"I need a hug."
All day at UUCA, people came in, essentially as Henry had - uncertain,
shocked, and needing the embrace of someone who cared. Some dropped
what they were doing at home or work, and chose to come to the church
to be with others as together we watched the tragedy unfold. Others
were travelers, people from downtown DC who had to walk out of the city
when offices were closed, the Metro shut down, and traffic grid-locked.
These evacuees stopped in for water and comfort. The responses we formulated
in that first day have been essentially the responses which shaped our
entire church year.
Rev. Joan Gelbein lit the chalice in the sanctuary, and held the first
of many prayer services that evening.
The preschool made the decision to hold the children, as did the public
schools, but did call all parents to alert them to plans for dismissal.
Rev. Linda Olson Peebles began making plans for writing, and finding,
resources to help parents and the new RE teachers with age-appropriate
ways to speak to children about what was happening in their town, and
in their world.
We learned what was being done by the Red Cross across the street, and
how the County agencies were organizing volunteers. UUCA members began
volunteering to support the workers at the Pentagon.
We held a second evening service September 12, even as the sounds of
military aircraft and emergency vehicles sounded in the sanctuary. The
pews were filled, and were comforted to be joined by UU President Bill
Sinkford and UU Washington Office director Meg Riley.
On Sunday, September 16, like so many other places of worship, UUCA
was packed, with close to 1,000 at the two services, and more than 300
children and youth in their RE learning groups.
In the weeks and months following, UUCA made a concerted effort to provide
pastoral support to people in grief; to reach out to neighbors who were
(or appeared to be) Muslim; to provide educational forums (for adults
and children), including a series of visits from local Imams and other
Muslims, to explain the beliefs of Islam and to explore the dynamics
in the Middle East; to address in worship and in Covenant Groups the
questions about life and death and vulnerability which were stirred
up by the trauma; and to strengthen efforts to build interfaith connections
in our region.
This year UUCA has been balancing the longing for peace with the sincere
interest in security abroad and at home. The church was the site of
a large, emotional memorial service for Craig Amundson, one of those
who died in the Pentagon. The Army Generals who attended spoke of their
commitment to avenge his death; Craig's widow spoke of her young husband's
work to make the US military into a true peace-making force. The church
has hosted an important discussion on a balanced UU response to the
Middle East crisis, which included President Bill Sinkford and a number
of UU experts on the subject.
And UUCA members have become energized in their work to study and promote
peace - through Peace Camps for children and youth, the planting of
a Peace Pole in the gardens, and participation in and hosting interfaith
prayer services for peace.
The preschool has developed a comprehensive emergency-preparedness plan,
one which is now being used as a model for many schools. Our Covenant
Groups and our lay pastoral care team have discovered the meaning of
their connections and support work.
The theme of last year, in sermon series and educational settings, was
"The Big Questions" helping the congregation explore the deepest
questions September 11 stirred up in us. This new church year will revolve
around the theme "Facing the Challenge of Religious Pluralism -
the Big Answers", in an attempt to find creative and hopeful responses
to the world situation.
UUCA will mark the September 11 anniversary in numerous ways. Our September
8 water communion services will be on the theme of "healing waters."
A Vespers Service at UUCA, September 11, at 7 pm, is called "Out
of the Darkness: A Service of Memory, Healing and Restoration."
And at the same time hundreds of UUCA members will worship that evening
in our sanctuary, other UUCA'ers will join Rev. Peebles in an interfaith
service in Arlington with Jews, Muslims, Christians, Bahai's, and Mormons.
We have plans to broaden and deepen our commitment to working for peace
through justice-making, interfaith collaboration, pastoral work, and
community service and witness. The memory of September 11 has not changed
UUCA's mission; but it has changed how intensely we perceive the nature
of our mutual need and the importance of our purpose in the world.
