9/11 service gives students time to reflect

By: Ivy Tan

Posted: 9/11/07

Today marks the six-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001.

To commemorate those who lost their lives on that tragic day, Hendricks Chapel is open for a daylong service from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for students, faculty and staff members to reflect on the events of Sept. 11.

A single candle will stand near the altar at the front end of the chapel's main sanctuary and will be lit during commemoration. The candle is being used for this occasion because it is very symbolic in many religious services that involve groups and gatherings, said Ginny Yerdon, events coordinator and administrative assistant at Hendricks.

Dean of Hendricks, Rev. Thomas V. Wolfe, was away at an off-campus conference and could not be reached for comment, but his secretary, Betsy Nash, said there has been a memorial service at the chapel every year since Sept. 11.

Nash said she expects a good turnout for the memorial service today and related this to the time Hendricks opened to commemorate the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre in April.

"The chapel is a source of comfort in addressing issues that are not business as usual, but when one deals with something deeper," Nash said. "The deans and chaplains create space for people to do that."

On the night of the terrorist attacks, there was a candlelight memorial service as well as an information session to provide students with support, Yerdon said. Nearly a month later, Hendricks had a formal memorial service for the Sept. 11 victims, where chaplains of various religions shared a passage from their sacred texts to display support and unity.

In 2006, on the terrorist attack's fifth anniversary, there was a more traditional commemoration.

"Because there are tragedies that happen every year, we could hold services every day," Yerdon said. "But we choose to do them on five-year anniversaries in order to not minimize the importance of the event."

For Yerdon, the chapel's commemoration services are important because it keeps the memory of the tragic event alive so that students do not forget the past.

Events like Sept. 11 are "marked by time," meaning that the impact and weight of the event subsides as the time passes, Yerdon said.

When asked of the effects of Sept. 11 on the SU campus, junior English major Ashley Tabor said the day is acknowledged by students, but it does not really affect their daily lives.

First-year law student Josh Werbeck said Sept. 11 is "like our Pearl Harbor."

"The turnout," he said, "depends on how many students read the papers and e-mail announcements."

Still, both students agreed that the memorial service is important.

"It's a nice remembrance for the people who were directly affected by 9/11," Tabor said. "The commemoration is a good way for them to reflect on these past events and look into the future in a positive way."