Growing up in a military family, Mike Howerton developed an emotional bond with people who threaten their own lives to help others.
“Every assignment could potentially be their last,” the Overlake Christian Church lead pastor said Wednesday morning.
That bond is stronger than ever for Howerton, who will lead a special remembrance service, “9/11/11: Honor, Hope, Healing” on Sunday — the 10th anniversary of 9/11 — honoring those who lost their lives in the tragic terrorist attacks.
“We want to honor those whose lives have been lost and those who put their lives on the line,” Howerton said. “We will talk about the healing and hope that we invited in after a tragic occurrence like this.”
The service will feature a special montage video, celebrating the heroic acts of those first-responders who “were willing to rush in and help save lives while everyone else was rushing out,” Howerton said.
The response to the tragedy was a united one as first-responders from across the nation, including some from Redmond, came to the aid of the terrorist attack victims.
“It was true unity in the face of tragedy,” Howerton said.
Local firefighters and police officers have been invited to Sunday’s services, which will be at 9:20 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Howerton said he is expecting approximately 3,000 people for Sunday’s services.
First responders, military personnel and National Guard in attendance will be asked to stand and be honored, Howerton said.
“It will be somewhat moving,” he said of the services. “We want to take some time to celebrate our heroes.”
Eastside faith communities to unite for 9/11 remembrance
In addition, Eastside faith communities, including Redmond-based Together We Build, will join in an interfaith remembrance event at the Kirkland Performance Center, which holds 402 people.
“I hope it’s packed,” said the Rev. Marian Stewart of what her church, Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, and more than 10 others are planning Sunday.
What Stewart and others are trying to devise is a way to do something local, to find a way where people in their own community can physically remember those events of a decade ago.
“That’s all I can do, is local,” said Stewart.
This is the second year such an event has been held here. This year’s event is called “Ashes to Hope: An Interfaith Observance of 9/11.”
About 300 people came last year.”It’s a bigger tent,” Stewart said. “We invited everyone.”
She said the concept, which is embracing a broad range of religions, from Lutherans and Mormons to Muslims and Jews, is to try to resolve differences and overcome ignorance.
“One thing 9/11 did, it was a common experience,” she said, and from that, people can find strength, a bonding.”You’re still seeking that, how do you come together?” she said.
Stewart added that another part of the reason for the Sunday gathering is to realize that despite differences, religions share common values, ones that don’t call for acts of terrorism, despite the religious justifications sometimes cited to support such acts, whether on 9/11 or machine-gunnings in Norway.
“Every major religion has some version of the Golden Rule,” she said. “Extremism in any religion can be very dangerous.”
The session at the performance center, 350 Kirkland Ave., will be from 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday. Kirkland’s mayor, fire chief and police chief will be among those speaking.
Sponsoring organizations include the Northlake church, the IMAN Center of Kirkland, Temple B’Nai Torah, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Northshore United Church of Christ, the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church of Christ and Together We Build.
More information is available at www.northlakeuu.org.
Kirkland Reporter staff writer Peyton Whitely contributed to this story.
