Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to commend the Churches of the Cape Conference, the Presiding Elders Council under the leadership of President Reverend Henry A Joubert, my Administrative Assistant Rev. Andrew B Lewin, and all ht epastors for calling the religious community together to pray for the families, people and your many brothers and sisters in the United States of America and elsewhere impacted by the tragedy that occured in our country September 11th, 2001.

The senseless, brutal, vicious and terrorist attacks on September 11th , which took the lives of over 6 000 people at the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC shocked the entire world. This criminal, insensitive, deadly violence perpetrated on innocent, unsuspecting people, men and women, and little children reveals the depth and pervasiveness of human sin. The human capacity to do evil seems limitless and the evil acts of a few bring unimaginable suffering and grief to many.

In the midst of all the deaths and destruction an amazing spirit and rsiliency of our people has emerged. A country of assaulted and victimized by the most hideous and horrific atrocities one can imagine has witnessed what the Spirit of Christ and the Christian Faith is all about. Heroism, the selfless risk one's life to relief the suffering of others, reveals the breath and the height of human goodness and God's Love is what Jesus taught us, "greater love has no man that he laid down his life for a friend".

We have seen medical personnnel, firemen, police, rescue workers, ordinary citizens abandoning self-interest and routine concerns in response to the desperate plight of the situation, come together to give themselves to heal the hurt, sooth the suffering and medicate the misery. Even the world commuity has responded to this act of violence by demonstrating care, concern, offer words of comfort and give and give act of compassion to demonstrate that they too are with all of us in this hour.

I am extremely grateful that in South Africa we too are demonstrating our commitment to Christ and concern about those in the United States who are suffering and grieving in this hour.

The service today is symbolic of what the Spirit of Christ and the universal church is all about. It brings together in a family setting the people of God from all walks of life and religious beliefs.

It makes possible for us to affirm our faith and believe in God, that though we are many, yet we are one. Thank you to the 15th Episcopal District, thank you to our brothers and sisters from different denominations for coming together to pray for us at this hour.

I want you to know that I beleive your prayers will make a difference, and I believe your prayers will help.

Keep making a difference!

Yours in His Name Rt. Rev. Gregory Gerald McKinley Ingram 30th September 2001 Statement at the Commeration Service held at the Bethel Memorial AME Church, Hazendal, South Africa

-- Anonymous, October 05, 2001