How are Friends Remembering?

What's happening around the country at Friends' meetings, churches, and interfaith coalitions?

Lawrence, Kansas

A member of Friends Meeting of Lawrence, KS, will be hosting a talk radio show over the internet beginning at 4pm central time on Sunday, September 11th. She is co-hosting with Rich Wyeroski, who was a first responder on September 11th. She is particularly interested in the experiences of those who responded directly to the tragedies of September 11th, and those experiences will be lifted up as will as remembering those who were lost. Please click here to read more and listen live to the radio show on Sunday.

Annapolis, Maryland

The Annapolis Friends Peace and Justice Center in Annapolis, MD is hosting a town-meeting forum, where U.S. leaders will share their experiences and insights at a gathering of more than 150 student leaders who were under age 12 at the time of the 9/11 attacks.

The event takes place on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at St. John's College's Great Hall in Annapolis, Maryland.

Click here for more information.

New York, New York

New York Yearly Meeting minuted their observance of the tenth anniversary with an urge that everyone should "recognize this anniversary as an occasion to remember that there are always alternatives to violence and that there is a Spirit in every human being which responds with gratitude to these alternatives."

Read more.

High Point, North Carolina

Friends at Deep River Friends Meeting in North Carolina are planning a three day series to commemorate the 9/11 date, including a re-hearing of the sermon they heard ten years ago with reflections, a candlelit vigil and program called "Prayers for Peace," a program on what it is to be Muslim in the U.S. called “Building Bridges to understanding,” and a report from Friends recently back from Israel and the West Bank focusing on the coexistence of the three main world religions in one city, called “Seeing That of God in the Other.”

Salt Lake City, Utah

In Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable and in conjunction with the Salt Lake Public Library, there will be a four-day conference, entitled 'Cultural and Religious Pluralism Today: Building Civility and Unity,' from September 8–11. The dialogue will explore opportunities for cooperation between members of different cultures and faiths.

Click here for more information.

Lansing, Michigan

Friends at Red Cedar Friends Meeting in Lansing, Michigan will be participating in an area-wide interfaith memorial service on 9/11/11, during which one Friend will lead a period of silent worship.

Further details are at the Islamic Society of Greater Lansing website.

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Doylestown Friends in Bucks County, PA will host a forum on nonviolent responses to terrorism on Sunday, 9/11/11 at 2 PM. The presentation is based on the writings of David Cortright and George A. Lopez, professors at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at The University of Notre Dame.

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

Schuylkill Friends in Phoenixville, PA will be holding a forum on peaceful means of preventing violent conflict, date and details to be announced.

State College, Pennsylvania

State College Friends Meeting will be holding a Community-Building Peace Picnic on Sunday, September 11th, as an interfaith event featuring games, music, storytellers, and food.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa Friends Meeting is collaborating with several area faith groups dedicated to peace, to hold events both Saturday, September 10th and Sunday, September 11th. Saturday is a day for the community to come together in fellowship and appreciation of peace. Sunday evening will be a time for musical and poetic performance, followed by a candle-light vigil.

For more information, see the flyer here.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Two Friends in Minneapolis have launched The 9-11-11 Project and the accompanying website. The aim of the 9-11-11 Project is to have the 10th anniversary of September 11th be a national day of reconciliation and healing across all faith groups. The website itself hopes to serve as a beginning point for ideas and reflections from American Muslims and non-Muslims alike in order to make this anniversary one that begins this next decade of 9/11 anniversaries as one of greater understanding and free of fear.

Click here to visit their website.

Carbondale, Illinois

Carbondale, Illinois-area faith organizations have come together to plan 11 days of remembrance for September 11th, beginning Sunday and lasting until the International Day of Peace on Wednesday, September 21st. These events include presentations on non-violence, the experience of Muslims in the community after 9/11, and a discussion of the human potential for peace.

To see a full list of events, please click here.

San Bruno, California

St. Robert's Parish of San Bruno, California, is hosting an Interfaith Prayer of Remembrance on Sunday evening, September 11 at 7 pm. This event will include silence, songs, readings from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions as well as Buddhhist chants.

Manasquan, New Jersey

New Jersey's Manasquan Monthly Meeting will be holding a silent peace vigil outside their meeting house on the night of Sunday, September 11th. Manasquan Friends, as part of a local Ministerium, have agreed to combine their remembrance activities.

Medford, New Jersey

Friends in Medford, New Jersey, are joining with others in the community to remember September 11th, 2001 with speeches, musical performance, and other events.

Princeton, New Jersey

Friends at Princeton Friends Meeting in New Jersey will be holding a worship sharing on the anniversary of 9/11. Friends are preparing for the worship sharing by reading George Fox's 1661 declaration to Charles II that is the basis of our Peace Testimony, as well as a number of queries developed for the occasion, one of which is: If there were a catastrophe now, similar to the 9/11/2001 tragedy, would my relationship with the Peace Testimony be more solid and deeper than it was at that time? Would I be able to respond wisely, compassionately and with love?

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If your meeting or church is hosting or participating in an event, please email emily@fcnl.org and tell us about it!