Introduction: Alan Jackson’s song "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?" proposes a question that is both personal and probing. We recall, as you have already heard the stories of others, where we were when the events of 9/11 happened one year ago. For a moment our world did stop turning. Yet for those of us completely unrelated personally to the events of the attack one year ago, our world has begun to turn again. For those who are the survivors of the attacks themselves or the survivors of the well over 3000 victims who died on that day their world has turned in starts and stops and will stop turning today and countless numbers of times for the rest of their lives.

Tonight we gather to say we remember the day of the horrific attacks upon our soil. We are here to say we cherish the memory of those who died innocently, heroically and bravely. We are here to remember those who still hurt, the thousands of men and women who put on a uniform and serve their city or our country and especially those who have given their lives since that day seeking to destroy the forces that plotted this evil.

Rev. Lyndon Harris and Rev. Stuart Hoke remember where they were on this day last year. They were in shock, as our entire nation was, at the devastation especially of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Their concern was for their churches: St. Paul’s Chapel and Trinity Church. St. Paul’s stood in the shadow of the Twin Towers and Rev. Harris feared that when he made his way to where the 236-year-old church stood he would find nothing but ruins. Yet when Harris began getting closer he could distinctly make out the outline of the steeple of the church. Energized, he quickened his pace to see what damage was done. Literally all around the church were the debris of the World Trade Center. Across the street the skyscrapers had gaping holes where the steel of the towers had scared them, if not fatally, then partially. Yet miracle of miracles St. Paul’s Chapel was unharmed. This chapel where George Washington had prayed still stood. Except for a fallen tree limb, four toppled tombstones and a thick layer of dust, the chapel was spared. Jesus said about His church, "The gates of hell shall not overpower it" (Matt. 16:18).

Rev. Stuart Hoke, brother of Jonesboro’s Dr. Scott Hoke, remembers where he was one year ago today. He was at Trinity Church, a sister church to St. Paul’s and also in the shadows of the Twin Towers. The historic church, which was founded in 1677, was the place where persons sought refuge escaping from the collapsing towers. Hoke began an impromptu church service but at 9:53 a.m. as the lights went out and the church was filled with the debris of the collapsed south tower, police and firefighters ordered the building evacuated. As they left Rev. Hoke asked the 30 who were there to join him in singing, "O God our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home." Jesus said about His church, "The gates of hell shall not overpower it" (Matt. 16:18).

These two churches, both Episcopal, became places of refuge and hope in the days to come. Because their buildings were spared, the churches opened their doors to serve. From the week of the attacks until May 31 of this year the doors of these two churches were never closed. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, their doors were open for firefighters, rescue workers and policemen to eat a meal, sleep on the pews or floor, cry, pray and find comfort. Places that previously were mostly historical landmarks and dwindling congregations became places where truly those seeking to "rescue the perishing" found rest.

Rev. Harris does not see their being spared destruction as if they were more special to God than those who died. He said, "If we were spared, we were spared because we had a big job to do." (Arkansas Democrat Gazette, September 8, 2002, p. 19a) Rev. Hoke agreed, saying that "he thinks God knew the church would be needed to help the hurting." (Arkansas Democrat Gazette, September 6, 2002, p. 19a). St. Paul’s and Trinity Church served that purpose well. The pews in both churches are still scared from their use in the hours, days and months following the attacks. They will not be repaired for they now stand as a living reminder of what happens when the church holds its doors open to serve.

Churches all across the U.S. saw their attendance swell after 9/11. Pledges and vows that somehow the events of that day would create a spiritual awakening were high. Polls taken during the weeks after the attacks created a sense of hope that the church would now be the place where people would be aware of their personal spiritual needs. It was the feeling that "nothing will ever be the same again" would last and turn our lives around to true renewal. Yet the truth is that churches that once were full after the attacks have returned to the same level of attendance as before the attacks. "The Day the World Stopped Turning" has begun to turn once again into "We must get on with our lives." Too often that means shutting ourselves up to spiritual mediocrity and complacency.

Am I disappointed? No, not really, because I believe that while on this day that our nation remembers the day that we were no longer vulnerable to terrorism, it is also a day too for believers to remember that our task is to hold the door of the church open. Our job, our task, has not changed regardless of the "stormy blasts" of last year, the last century or the next year or the next century. Jesus said that when it comes to His church that "all the powers of hell will not conquer it." (NLT, Matt. 16:18). The question tonight is not, "What do we make of 9/11?"; it is more, "What does 9/ll make of us?" I believe it calls us to do as the church has done for 2000 years before 9/11, what those two churches did in the days following 9/11 and what we are called to do since 9/11 and that is that Christians are people who hold the door open for others in love.

In our text from Paul’s letter to the Romans he admonishes them to be alert to their times. Those to whom he wrote lived in a time where they were thought to be the outcasts of society. Their Roman culture was one of godlessness, debauchery, violence and being controlled by a government hostile to the Christ they proclaimed. Yet they are told to love their neighbor in such a way that it fulfilled all that God would ask. They were to do this knowing that time was running out for them to show the depths of their love. They were to choose against their own lower nature, allowing fully the Lord Jesus Christ to control them.

Paul’s words remind us that like the church of St. Paul’s or Trinity Church made no distinctions as to who came in to be served as they held open their doors so we in our church are to hold the door open to others in love. The depth of love that Paul alludes to is continually due and payable. It is a "hold the door" love!

For whom are we to hold the door open?

Like the pews at Trinity Church are scared by those who served on year ago, so our church must be a place that says we are here because you hurt. We may not know why you hurt or how you hurt but we are here because you are part of scared humanity. As long as there are people who hurt we must hold open the door.

We are to hold open the door to the hungry and thirsty. Those who are hungry or thirsty physically we must continue to be an open door. Yet our doors must be open wider, more inviting to those spiritually hungry and spiritually thirsty. There will be other attacks. There will be other tragedies. There will be other reasons for people to ask, "Why?" Yet we must be here with the door of our heart open to those needing spiritual food and life quenching water because that need will not change.

We are here to hold the door open to those who are hostile to us. They may be hostile to us because we are Americans. They may be hostile to us because we are Christian. They may be hostile to us because we dare to live as disciples in our own culture. We cannot be naïve about this. In Pakistan, Christians are targets. In China thousands of Christians just suddenly disappear. Yet we are still called to do as Jesus said, "Love our enemies." How do you do that? How do the victims of these attacks do this? I don’t know. Yet like the steeple on St. Paul’s Church stood amid all the chaos caused by hate, the words of Jesus stand for us to follow and obey.

We are to hold the door open for hope. We can choose to close our heart’s door and yield to the darkness that seeks to swallow every particle of light. Or we can choose to hold the door open that regardless of the hurt, hunger, and hostility that we see all around us there is hope in Jesus Christ. G. K. Chesterson said that God had "hardened his heart with hope." Tonight as we remember this day’s horror of one year ago we hear the echoes of fear that as a nation we are on the brink of another war. Do we know what the future holds?

The answer is "no" and "yes." No, we as citizens don’t know what the future holds. Yet as Christians we know exactly what the future holds. We know that there is a future without tears, darkness, sorrow, hate, hunger, fear or war. A saint of ancient times said, "God did not say, ‘You will not be troubled, you will not be belabored, you will not be disquieted;’ but God said: "you will not be overcome." Jesus said, "Upon this Rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not conquer it." We hold the door open for hope—now and for eternity.

Ron Fazio of Closter, New Jersey was Vice President of Aon Re, with offices on the 99^th floor of Tower Two. When the plane slammed into Tower One, Ron Fazio made one of the best decisions of his life. He ordered his employees to evacuate the building. Even though the south tower where their offices were had not been hit by the second plane, he insisted that all Aon Re employees get away from the windows, leave their desks, and get out of the building. When others were bolting their door, he helped people bolt out the doors. He stood there and held the door, yelling for everyone to hurry, and held the door open until everyone from his company had started down the stairs.

They all made it down. So did he. But he remained outside Tower Two, helping others out the building, talking on his cell phone. The last anyone saw of him, he was giving his cell phone to someone else, after which the tower collapsed and no one ever heard from Ron Fazio again.

Ron Fazio’s wife (Janet) and three kids (Lauren, Rob and Ron Jr.) have started a foundation t honor their father’s heroism. It’s called "Hold the Door for Others, Inc." (For other firsthand accounts of Ron’s heroism, see www.holdthedoor.com). In son Rob’s words, "My dad was a quiet, humble man who died after holding the door open for others. As a family, we’re trying to do the same thing, to help people move through the pain so they can begin to dream again."

Last year on this day Rev Lynden Harris was holding the doors of St. Paul’s Chapel open. Last year on this day Rev. Stuart Hoke was holding the doors of Trinity Church open. Last year on this day Ron Fazio was holding the doors of the World Trade Center open. One year later are we people who are holding open the door of our church and our lives?

How can we do it? Because of the cross. The workman cleaning the debris of the World Trade Center found one just standing shaped by the remaining beams of the World Trade Center. Yet another was cut from such a beam by a worker and given to the church at St. Paul’s. For almost a year it stayed on the altar of the church. For two thousand years the Cross still stands as a message of life, hope and love for all. For until He comes, regardless of the attacks or tragedies a date may bring, we stand under that cross holding open the door of our hearts in love.

A Service of Remembrance

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor

First Baptist Church

Jonesboro, Arkansas

[email protected]