Churches to pay tribute to Sept. 11 as 10-year anniversary arrives

Saturday, September 10, 2011
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alt — Bobby Stevenson, minister of music at East Newnan Baptist Church, leads choir members in a practice for the Singing Flag presentation — to be held on the church grounds on the evening of Sept. 11.

By W. WINSTON SKINNER winston@newnan.com When terrorists attacked New York and Washington a decade ago, America -- and Coweta -- went to church. An interracial, interdenominational service was held at First Baptist Church of Newnan soon after the attacks became known, and services seeking to give people solace and hope in that dark moment were held in churches throughout the area. As the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack approaches, numerous church events are being held.

Several churches are paying tribute to veterans and public safety personnel. There also are music programs and events focusing on youth as the 9-11 anniversary nears. Other events are marked by simple tokens of American life -- horseshoes, a family dinner, community outreach. Royal Baptist Church is honoring first responders this Sunday, Sept. 4 -- a week ahead of the official anniversary date. "We Will Remember" will be held at Royal from 5-7 p.m. Royal Baptist, located on Mayo Royal Industrial Drive off Highway 16 West, will hold a truck-and-bike show at 5:45 -- following registration from 5-5:30 p.m. Truck categories will include Redneck Truck, Muddiest Truck, Best Hunting Truck, High Tech Redneck Truck, Farm Truck, Street Truck, Classic and People's Choice. Bike categories will include Loudest Pipes, Sport Bike, Cruiser and People's Choice. Trophies will be given. There will be free hot dogs and soft drinks -- as well as cakes homemade by some of Royal's most talented bakers. Door prizes will also be part of the fun. The event will also include a service recognizing first responders -- those who often get to the scene of an accident, injury or severe illness ahead of other emergency personnel. The service will feature the Royal Voices of Praise. A number of churches have special events planned for Sept. 11 itself. Among them are: • The Cathedral of Christ the King near Sharpsburg will celebrate its 15th anniversary as a church on Sept. 11 at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Charles Jones will be coming from Selma, Ala., to preach. Jones is archbishop of the Archdiocese of the Southeast of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. He also is pastor of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Selma. For many years, he was supervising bishop of the International Development Agency, which saw explosive church growth in Africa. • Kickoff Sunday will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. At 9:15 a.m., breakfast and a discussion of upcoming programs for the fall Adult Forum speakers series will be held. Adults and children will be able to meet teachers for youth programs and get familiar with their classrooms. Upcoming programs will include a focus on community outreach, Christian mysticism, spiritual themes in literature and biblical archeology. • Bexton Road Baptist Church near Moreland will be celebrating its 32nd anniversary at 10:30 a.m. "We will have homecoming on Sept. 11 with a Family and Friends Day theme," Chris Smith said. The service will be "followed by a covered dish lunch," Smith said. "We will have horseshoes to play afterwards, also." • First United Methodist Church of Newnan will hold a Service of Remembrance at 10:55 a.m. Music and readings have been selected to provide for a meaningful worship experience as worshippers remember the tragic events of 10 years ago. The youth choir will sing. First Methodist will also hold a food drive for the Coweta Community Food Pantry in conjunction with Boy Scout Troop 41. Items particularly needed include cereal, grits, oatmeal, boxed cornbread mix, peanut butter, jelly, canned spaghetti sauce, spaghetti pasta, rice, macaroni and cheese, instant potatoes, evaporated milk, juice, tea, sugar, corn, green beans, sweet peas, beans, peas, white potatoes, yams/sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomato sauce, mixed vegetables, fruit, soup, tuna, salmon and canned meat. Fresh greens -- collards, turnip and spinach -- are also needed. The drive is also gathering items that cannot be bought with food stamps. That list includes toilet tissue, paper towels, bar soap, toothpaste, shaving cream, disposable razors, lotion, shampoo, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, feminine products, disposable diapers, wipes and trash bags. Bags for the drive will be handed out at the Sept. 11 service -- to be returned to the church by Sept. 25. • A Patriot Day Service will be held at 11 a.m. at Allen-Lee Memorial United Methodist Church at Lone Oak. The service will include a focus on the contributions of the military and public safety employees, as well as patriotic music. A covered dish meal will follow -- outdoors if weather permits. • Descendants of Nathan Young Hunter will be gathering at White Oak Hall at White Oak Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m. Family members -- who have roots at White Oak Presbyterian stretching back to its earliest history in the 1830s -- will be bringing covered dishes and sharing memories. Nathan Hunter was the son of a Coweta pioneer couple and a Confederate veteran. • Rita Kay Lett Dean will be speaking for Woman Day at New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church at Madras. The service will start at 2:30 p.m. Women are invited to wear white, if possible. Dean is a member of Greater Mt. Triumph Missionary Baptist Church in Atmore, Ala. • The Youth On Fire For God youth ministry of New Life Tabernacle Life Changing ministries will celebrate their youth anniversary -- using the theme "Building A Holy Nation" -- at 5 p.m. Dr. Jake Golden of New Life Tabernacle will bring the message, and Emanuel Ransby from Jones Chapel United Methodist Church will be the master of ceremonies. • Paul Pitts will be presenting "The Scribe" at Sharpsburg First Church of the Nazarene at 6 p.m. Pitts has sung more than 5,500 performances on seven continents, to more than five billion people by television, radio and personal appearance. "I gave my heart to the Lord, and I've never turned back," he said. "I have received God's wonderful forgiveness and such a peace in my heart that I want to share with everyone. This has become my passion and purpose in life," he added. "If I can touch someone's heart with the love of God, I will have lived out my purpose." Critic Nino Pantano wrote Pitts "has one of the most beautiful voices in existence today -- with impeccable diction and admirable declamatory skills." • The Celebration Choir of Woolsey Baptist Church in Fayetteville will present "America, We Must Not Forget: A Patriotic Call for Revival in America," at 6 p.m. Church members Patti Phillips said "all heroes" are invited and will be honored -- "including military, police, firemen, emergency medical technicians, doctors, nurses, plus others for their service to the community, state and country." • Two local churches will be sites for "A Wake-Up Call For God's People," a simulcast featuring Anne Graham Lotz, Joel Rosenberg and the music of Selah. First Baptist Church of Newnan and Unity Baptist Church will be both be sites. The two-hour broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. "I have long felt the original 9/11 attack was a wake-up call for His people--a time to look up and get right with Him," Lotz said. "But did we sleep through the alarm?" • East Newnan Baptist Church will be mounting a Singing Flag musical presentation on its grounds. Bobby Stevenson, the church's minister of music, said the 7:30 p.m. event will be "a 9-11 patriotic service." Church member June Harris said the Singing Flag is "kind of like a Living Christmas Tree." Church members will sing from a giant flag accented with about 5,000 lights. "People bring their lawn chairs and blankets," Harris said.

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Churches to pay tribute to Sept. 11 as 10-year anniversary arrives

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