New Around the Mission
City Turns Out for September 11 Memorial Service
September 13, 2011
Two months ago, the Honorable Michael Holland of Eustis, Florida, approached Epiphany Celebration Anglican Church and asked if they would consider offering a citywide memorial service on September 11. He liked what he’d seen of the worship services Epiphany provided to the community last Thanksgiving, as well as the city's patriotic GeorgeFest event and the Easter sunrise service, and he hoped to create something equally memorable.
His hopes were realized as more than 260 turned out for the service, including the mayor, police chief, fire chief, Chamber of Commerce board of directors, city council, local state representative and several dozen members of local fire and police departments. The service began with a bagpipe processional of a folded memorial flag, a combined fire and police Honor Guard and 12 musicians singing of “God of our Fathers.”
Epiphany's rector, the Rev. W. H. Volland, preached a sermon entitled “We Will Never Allow Tragedy to Define Who We Are.” Declaring that the steel of American resolve is based on our belief in the God of the Bible, and that we are not a “Good Friday people” but an “Easter people,” he went on to thank the guests in attendance for standing on the wall of American security, a point made clear using the climactic closing scene from A Few Good Men.
The 90-minute service concluded with the bagpiper leading the congregation in the traditional setting of “Amazing Grace.”
Posted By: Cynthia P. Brust
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