Churches get together to hold vigil on night of terrorist attacks.
By: Ken Weingartner
PLUMSTED The sound of singing filled the air outside New Egypt High School the night of Sept. 11.
Some 500 voices united as one as they left the school, singing the hymn "Silent Night."
But on that night it was more than a song. It was a prayer.
The New Egypt United Places of Worship conducted a service Sept. 11 in reaction to the terrorist attacks that morning on the Pentagon, outside Washington, D.C., and the World Trade Center towers in New York City.
"We really were hoping it would be a silent night," said the Rev. Bruce Mauro, pastor at New Egypt United Methodist Church. "It was a prayer for peace."
The Rev. Mauro helped set up the service, which had participation from many of the area’s churches.
Also participating was the Rev. Tim Flick of New Egypt Church of the Nazarene, the Rev. Alaina Walton of Plumsted Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Joe Farrell of Assumption Roman Catholic Church, the Rev. George Simmons of Hornerstown Baptist Church, and the Rev. Steven Brown of the New Egypt Church of Christ.
Members from Bethel AME Church also attended the service.
"I knew my church needed something," he said. "I called Alaina at Plumsted Presbyterian, and she said the same thing. That’s when the idea took root. But it was the whole township that made it happen. People here first identify themselves as members of a community."
The Rev. Mauro said the service lasted 45 minutes. The recessional hymn, "Silent Night," was sung by all as they exited the packed school.
The Rev. Farrell started the service by saying, "It takes a tragedy to bring a family together." The Rev. Mauro was impressed with the response of that "family."
"People lingered after the service," he said. "People didn’t hurry out. They were talking, supporting each other. When you go back to home, there’s a tendency to be afraid. When you talk with others, you get strengthened.
"You can’t really make sense of this," he added. "We’re never going to find answers. But you can’t just sit by yourself. We need to seek consolation in each other, and in our God. We’re trying to give our people some sense of peace. That’s what we’re called to do."

