Sunday is September 11th, fifteen years after the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks on America.  We all remember the surreal pictures of commercial planes hurtling into the Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon, piloted by deluded terrorists on their suicide missions. Today, we pray comfort for the families that lost loved ones on this day and we pray continued protection for our beloved country that is still under attack by our enemies.

Immediately following the attack and mass destruction, military and security personnel along with the best search and rescue teams and steel workers from around the world poured into “Ground Zero” to assist in the effort.  At this critical time, Mayor Guilliani addressed a group of religious leaders in NYC and I heard these words, “This is not business as usual… I need the help of the clergy!”

Prompted by the Holy Spirit to answer the Mayor’s call, I organized a team of ministers from Christian Retreat, Bradenton, Florida, to go to ground zero, just to pray, and offer spiritual assistance to the estimated 2,500 workers there.  We wore clergy collars in order to identify ourselves with the other uniformed workers.  We put a sign on the front of our van, “Clergy Task Force for Ground Zero.”  With God’s favor, we were allowed into the tightly secured area and immediately issued hard hats, steel toed boots, and protective face masks.  What a joy it was to minister to so many who were tender in heart, hungry for God, and asking for prayer.