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Church holds Sept. 11 remembrance service

By Toni Milbourne - For the Chronicle | Sep 17, 2021

Carol Wood speaks, during the 9/11 Remembrance Service at Morgan’s Grove Park. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Rev. Gusti Linnea Newquist, pastor of the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church, said she felt it was important to hold a remembrance service in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, because of the significance of the event.

“For myself, that is what propelled me to go into the ministry,” Newquist said. “It was clear that religion was being used for such ill that I wanted to be part of bringing out the best of religion.”

Attendees for the service gathered at Morgan’s Grove Park on Saturday afternoon for the service, which included hymns, prayers and lessons.

In addition, two speakers were on the schedule to share their remembrances of the day with the congregation.

Perry Jamieson, a military historian, shared his memories from being in the Pentagon the day of the attack.

Perry Jamieson speaks at the 9/11 Remembrance Service at Morgan’s Grove Park. Toni Milbourne

“I remember that day like it was last weekend,” Jamieson said. “It was a long, frightening day that brought unexpected tragedy, but showed resilience of the human spirit.

“Strangers helped strangers,” Jamieson told those gathered. “It is my prayer now that we wake up the way so many work up that day — always ready to help other people.”

Following Jamieson’s comments, Carol Wood, a retired flight attendant, walked to the podium to share her thoughts, specifically about Flight 93, which went down in a cornfield in Shanksville, Pa.

“I flew with a lot of the flight attendants,” Wood said, as she proceeded to read their names aloud.

“They were heroes,” she said. “Most were not famous before that Tuesday; they were just going to work as they had before.”

“That day they were called to make the ultimate sacrifice and they did,” Cook concluded.

Newquist spoke of Sept. 11, 2001 as a “day that challenged our trust that we belong to God.”

“In remembering, we reclaim the proclamation of belonging to God,” she said. “This time of remembering is a glimpse of resurrection love.”