By Clyde Noel

Town Crier Correspondent

As many local churches did throughout last week, the Los Altos United Methodist Church invited residents last Thursday to help them cope with the shock and horror of recent events and to pray for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“Terrorists try to isolate and separate their victims, but tonight we are here together to pray together and we refuse to be intimidated in life,” said Mark S. Bollwinkel, senior pastor.

More than 450 people filled the sanctuary of the church to meditate and spend some time with God. Suggested scripture readings were available along with a Bible and a box of Scotties in each pew.

Bollwinkel asked people from the community to share a prayer, and to stand up and provide hope and faith. God’s people in prayer offered their thoughts.

“I have a grandson in Peter Stuyvesant School in New York City. Those students saw the second plane hit the tower,” one woman said. “Say a prayer for those students who saw people jump out of tower windows, and a blessing for people who saw all those problems.”

Bollwinkel asked the sanctuary audience to step back and take a look at what is going on and pray.

“Pray for the wisdom, leadership and good judgment on how to proceed and pray for weeks and months on how to succeed.

“Pray for Congress and the President and for us to give up the instant gratification that comes easy to us. Give up our own desires for safety in this world.

“Pray for the heroic action of the people on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania and hope to keep those heroes in our prayers.

“Pray for those who are waiting for others who may never come home. Pray for those here who will live without the ones they love and for the children whose parents will never come home.

“No matter what happens, pray for those who wear the uniform of our service people and keep them safe.

“Pray to remove from our minds hatred, prejudice and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed.

“Finally, heal us … of the wounds we received Sept. 11 and make certain it never happens again.”

Bollwinkel said the church offers safety to people and especially children. We need to keep reaching out to touch each other. The church exists for safety and offers a stand against our enemies.

“We reach out and touch each other in prayer. We are at war because of people who hate and those who act with violence against the innocent,” Bollwinkel said.

Greg Bergquist, executive pastor, and Kristie Olah, minister of discipleship, helped with prayer during the community ceremony.

The community service closed singing “America the Beautiful” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”