Prayer service held for peace

Sunday night was a time for reflection. Members of the Bloomington community gathered to pray for the lives lost in the terrorist attacks Sept. 11. With attendees ranging from young children to senior citizens, the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church was filled with people of all ages, races and religions praying for peace. The Interfaith Vespers Service for World Peace was sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2120 N. Fee Lane, and the Bloomington Society of Friends, a local Quaker group. Reverend Bill Breeden of the Church and Michael Squires, head of the Bloomington Friends, led most of the service.\n"People felt like they needed a service for peace," Breeden said, who organized the service with Reverend Barbara Carlson. \nThe service drew about 75 people. After the welcome by Carlson, congregants sang the song "Peace is Flowing Like a River," which was led by Breeden. Readings ranged from songs to prayers. \nFolk singer Carrie Newcomer began by saying, "I see so many in the community here. How wonderful." She then sang "I Heard an Owl Last Night."\n"The only peace this world will know," she sang in the chorus, "Can only come from love." \nThe congregation joined in the last chorus as Newcomer closed her eyes and sang softly.\nPrayers were offered in English, Arabic and Hebrew. \n"May it be your will, Lord our God, that wars and bloodshed be abolished from the world," said Sue Swartz, a member of the Beth Shalom Congregation. "We have not come into the world for quarreling or war."\nA Muslim prayer was read in Arabic and English by Galal M. Al Halali and Michael Thomas, respectively. The message was one of peace, one of unity.\n"Goodness and evil are not equal -- repel the evil with good," Thomas said.\nThe Homily for Peace was spoken by Breeden. He began by remembering the events of Sept. 11.\n"Time and time again I thought I had it together, and time and time again I have crumbled," he said. \nBreeden urged the congregants to reflect on the events and to open up their hearts. He quoted passages from Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, focusing on the message of courage and hope.\n"Why can we not pray together, play together, and not kill each other? Can we not see the beauty of our peoples?" Breeden said with his voice breaking. \nSquires approached the podium after the homily and said, "It's hard to speak after that." \nHe then introduced the 11 minutes of silence. During the 11 minutes, congregants bowed their heads, closed their eyes and even meditated. Some cried. Rain poured down outside, which congregants afterward said was very fitting for the situation.As the minutes came to an end, Breeden stepped back up to the podium and asked people to rise and sing the song "Deep Blue Sea." \n"Put your arms around people you know, or even people you don't know, and sing this song," he said. \nThe rows filled into the center and the service ended with people holding each other.\n"You're beautiful," Breeden concluded. "Give of yourself to the cause of peace. Amen"