Remembrances of September 11, 2001
Lives lost
It is not easy to know exactly how many people died on September 11, 2001, but, to the best of our knowledge, the number is approximately 2996. These included:
- Americans as well as 236 citizens from more than 90 other countries.
- 2977 victims and 19 hijackers
- 246 people on the four planes (excluding hijackers), including the 40 aboard United Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, Pa.; the 87 aboard American Flight 11, which was the first to hit the World Trade Center; 60 aboard United Flight 175, which was the second plane to hit the World Trade Center; and 59 aboard American Flight 77 that hit the Pentagon
- 2606 in New York City in the Twin Towers and on the ground
- 125 at the Pentagon, 55 of which were military personnel
- 411 emergency workers who responded to the scene, including 342 firefighters, 10 paramedics, 23 NYC police officers and 37 Port Authority officers.
Naming the dead
In the Judeo-Christian tradition, a name has a particular power. For the names of all those who were lost, as well as some of their stories, see CNN.com.
Presbyterians Remember September 11
Where were you on September 11, 2001? Tell of your experiences on our Facebook page designed to capture some of the historical remembrances of this day and those who lost their lives. You can share thoughts, rituals that have been meaningful and announce planned events with others throughout the denomination.
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches calls for the tenth anniversary of attacks on sites in the United States to be a time both of remembrance and of renewed commitment to peace
World Communion of Reformed Churches News Release 07 September 2011
Let anniversary of September 11 attacks lead to peace and healing says church organization
Let the tenth anniversary of attacks on sites in the United States mark a time both of remembrance and of renewed commitment to peace, says a global organization of Protestant churches. The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) based in Geneva, Switzerland, is inviting its 230 member churches worldwide to join in prayers for those who lost loved ones in attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on 11 September, 2001.
The president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) Jerry Pillay, says in a message from South Africa: “The enormous suffering experienced by the families of American and foreign nationals working in New York and Washington at the time, has formed tragic links with victims of terrorist attacks in other countries in recent years. It is time to resolve differences with dialogue and peace building rather than with weapons of mass destruction in whatever form.”
“WCRC member churches in North America and the Caribbean send our prayers and condolences to those who mourn,” says Yvette Noble-Bloomfield, WCRC’s vice-president for the region. “We pray for comfort for those who are hurting. And we pray that a spirit of healing and reconciliation will emerge from the ashes of this disaster.”
“This is a time of pain relived and grief remembered,” says Douwe Visser, WCRC’s acting General Secretary. “We are thinking of those who were bereaved by the attacks and hold them up in our prayers as we approach the anniversary of this event that changed the course of American history.”
“WCRC celebrates American churches as they seek to draw on the country's rich history of tolerance and inclusion. We recognize how challenging Christ's message of love for one's enemy is in these days of tragic memories and know that churches are seeking to be faithful to the Christian gospel message that calls us to healing and reconciliation, a costly discipleship,” says Noble-Bloomfield.
“Churches in the United States and worldwide are left with questions,” says Visser. “Is there room in the aftermath of such events for the Gospel message of forgiveness? Does Jesus teaching us to love our enemies and do good to those who harm us apply to a situation like this?” the Dutch theologian asks.
At the end of September churches from the region will be meeting the Dominican Republic around the theme of “Who is my neighbour?” This theme reflects concern for what it means to be a neighbour in the post-9/11 era. WCRC has 21 member churches in the United States and Canada and in the Caribbean region.
WCRC was created in June 2010 through a merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). Its 230 member churches representing 80 million Christians are active worldwide in initiatives supporting economic, climate and gender justice, mission, and cooperation among Christians of different traditions.
