September 11 Commemoration: Rebuild, Reflect, Remember

Register now for to make 9/11 a day of service, not of vengeance.

As we come up to the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County and the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice are helping plan community events to commemorate the day.

1. Volunteer: To help heal the brokenness from the attacks on 9/11 and their aftermath, you are invited to a day of service on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Projects include service for veterans, ecological restoration, and support for Iraqi refugees. 2-5pm. Register online at http://sept11.eventbrite.com, or read below to learn more about each service project. Sponsored by the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County and the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice. Question? Call 734-663-1870 or 734-424-1535, email info@icpj.net or gbrides@umich.edu

2. Commemorate: The tenth anniversary September 11 is an important anniversary to grieve the pain caused by 9/11 and its aftermath and to express our hope for a world free from violence, intolerance, and hate. Concluding the day of service, there will be a family-friendly community commemoration ceremony beginning at 5:30pm at Gallup Park. Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner for a community picnic following the ceremony.

Please also consider including a remembrance of 9/11 in your worship service. ICPJ and IRT have created a 9/11 Remembrance Litany  that you can use in your congregation. Many faith organizations have worship resources available; please check with your religious tradition and also read below for additional resources. If you know of other faith resources we should include, please send them to Chuck Warpehoski at chuck@icpj.net or call 734-663-1870.

Service Projects:

In response to the tragedy of 9/11 and its aftermath, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice and Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County are coordinating a day of service. The following four sites are symbolic to heal the wounds experienced by veterans, refugees, and the Earth. Register online at http://sept11.eventbrite.com.

  • VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System: Volunteers choosing the Ann Arbor VA Hospital will first receive a one hour educational overview of veteran’s issues, veteran support services and the role of the VA Hospital system (topics will include PTSD, homelessness, suicide prevention, substance abuse, family and community support, access to medical care, transition back to civilian life, etc.). Volunteers will then have the option of visiting one or more patients at the VA Hospital, as well as the creation of hand-made greeting cards for veterans for the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. A 15-20 minute debriefing will take place around 5:00 p.m. to allow volunteers to share their experiences and get follow-up questions answered concerning veteran’s issues. Do NOT bring a camera. Photos are not allowed in order to protect the privacy of the patients, staff and guests of the hospital. Limit 30 volunteers. Children 12 and older welcome with adult supervision.
  • Jewish Family Services–Supporting Refugee Resettlement: Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw Countyis the local agency responsible for refugee resettlement, including resettlement of Iraqi refugees. Participants will receive an introduction  Jewish Family Services’ work with refugees and stories from the people they work with, then participate in one of the following activities:
    • 10 people for cleaning and repainting the classroom space that they use for English as a Second Language classes;
    • 5-8 people to organize and clean their furniture warehouse. (They provide furniture to new immigrants and refugees.);
    • 2-3 people to prepare Jewish New Year cards for their senior adult clients.
  • Natural Area Preservation can use up to 50 volunteers at the Cedar Bend Nature Area. The volunteers would be removing invasive species and improving the trails as part of their ongoing restoration of the park. Children 5 years of age and older welcome with parent/guardian supervision. All minors must sign a parental release form. NOTE: The time for this event is 2-5pm.
  • The Farm at St. Joe’s can use 10-12 Volunteers for  to work in the gardens. There would be a variety of tasks for the volunteers depending upon the needs that day. There could be harvesting of fall crops (winter squash, peppers, potatoes etc) and/or getting the greenhouse and some fields ready for the winter. Children 5 years of age and older welcome with parent/guardian supervision. All minors must sign a parental release form.

Donations to the VA Hospital:

In addition to the learning and service opportunities, volunteers are also encouraged to bring the following items for donation to the VA Hospital for in/outpatient vets and their families (underwear needs to be new; other clothing items should be new or gently used/nicely cleaned):

  • New men’s boxer shorts (all sizes) and socks (white)
  • Gas gift cards and grocery cards (Meijer, Kroger and/or Walmart)
  • Gift cards for homeless veterans (Wendy’s, McDonalds ($5 and $10)
  • Crayons, coloring books, Happy Meal toys (still wrapped) for children visiting
  • T-shirts (men’s) all sizes and colors
  • Winter coats, boots, scarves, gloves
  • Lap blankets (4’ x 4’ or larger)
  • Car models/crafts
  • Men’s shoes-new or gently used boots and sneakers, all sizes
  • AATA bus tokens
  • Used paperback books and magazines (within 60 days of issue); NO HARDCOVER BOOKS ACCEPTED

Congregations are encouraged to collect goods for the VA hospital and bring them to the day of service.

Other worship Resources:

Jewish Resources

Christian Resources

Muslim Resources

Unitarian Universalist Resources

  •  UU Peacemakers - Includes chalice/candle lightings, prayers, hymns and interfaith materials

Interfaith Resources
Many of the above include interfaith resources. Also:

Local Resources

Published by on Jul 25, 2011 under Middle East

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