Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by tolling its bells at key moments from that morning.
This Friday — Sept. 11 — the Cathedral’s bells will toll four times at the time that each plane struck a target that day 26 years ago — 7:46 a.m. CST when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, at 8:03 a.m. CST when United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center and at 8:37 a.m. CST when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.
Then the bells will strike six times at the moments when the World Trade Center towers fell — 8:59 a.m. CST when the South Tower fell and at 9:28 a.m. CST when the North Tower fell.
The bells will then toll 40 times in remembrance of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the United Airlines diverted by hijackers and aimed at a target — either the U.S. Capitol or the White House — in Washington, D.C. Passengers and crew aboard Flight 93 heard reports about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and they knew that the hijackers on board their flight likely had a similar target in mind. So they rushed the hijackers, forcing the plane to crash at 9:02 a.m. CST into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa.
“We remember the thousands of lives lost on and after Sept. 11, the families whose lives were forever changed, the first responders who ran toward danger and the countless acts of courage and compassion that emerged in the midst of unimaginable grief,” said the Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas, Cathedral of Hope’s senior pastor.
The observance will also acknowledge those who experienced hatred and violence in the aftermath of the attacks. Muslim and Sikh Americans, as well as members of Arab, South Asian and other communities, became targets of suspicion, harassment, discrimination and violence in the days, months, and years that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.
“Twenty-five years later, we remember those wounds, too,” Thomas said. “We stand with our Muslim siblings and with every person who has been made a target because of their faith, their ethnicity, the color of their skin or the way they are perceived by others.”
For Cathedral of Hope, the anniversary is an opportunity not only to remember the past, but also to recommit to the work of peace, Thomas said, adding, “We pray for a peace that is more than the absence of violence. We pray for the courage to resist hatred, to refuse fear as a reason to turn against one another and to recognize the sacred dignity of every human being.
“May the sound of our bells carry both our grief and our hope. May we remember those who died, honor those who still carry the wounds of that day and its aftermath and recommit ourselves to becoming people of peace.”
The community is invited to gather on the plaza of Cathedral of Hope, 5910 Cedar Springs Road in Dallas, on Friday morning, Sept. 11, for prayer and reflection. All are welcome.
About Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ
Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ is “a vibrant, inclusive and progressive Christian congregation in Dallas with a longstanding ministry among the LGBTQ+ community,” noted a press release about the remembrance. “Through worship, community care, spiritual formation and service, Cathedral of Hope seeks to proclaim Christ through faith, hope, and love.”
Cathedral of Hope’s John Thomas Memorial Bell Wall was designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson and his business partner, Alan Ritchie, and was the idea and project of Cathedral of Hope leaders and members. Design and location of the wall were a collaborative effort of all involved.
The Bell Wall honors the memory of John Thomas, a member of the church and activist for GLBTQ and AIDS issues in the Dallas community, and it stands as a national memorial to all affected by HIV/AIDS.
The wall — which is 78 feet tall and 72 feet wide and stands over the entrance to the church — was dedicated on Sunday, July 23, 2000 It. features three bells symbolizing Remembrance, Justice and Hope. The bells ring at noon daily in memory of all who’ve died of HIV/AIDS and at again at 6 p.m. in hope for peace. The bells also ring after every worship service at the church.
The Bell Wall gets special recognition on Dec, 1, World AIDS Day, which is of such importance to the congregation of Cathedral of Hope that it is part of the liturgical calendar. CoH has lost more than 1,500 members to HIV/AIDS and, during the height of the epidemic in America, was the only church that would bury AIDS victims, once performing 31 funerals in just a single month.
— Tammye Nash