On the afternoon of September 11, Pastor David Gaitán-Rivera was invited to take part in the Chesterfield and neighbors’ September 11 Memorial Service. He represented the Christian faith and the Crosswicks–Groveville Circuit of the United Methodist Church in New Jersey, offering a prayer during the gathering.
He expressed his gratitude to the township authorities for the invitation and for the opportunity to stand alongside such a diverse group of people. Present at the service were local authorities, families of victims, firefighters, police officers, first responders, interfaith representatives, boy scouts, activists, and neighbors. Together they shared in a moving moment of remembrance, reflection, and hope that extended beyond Chesterfield to the wider community.
For Pastor David this was more than an act of remembrance. It was also a call to lift our voices against violence in all its forms. Memorials such as this remind us of the pain caused by violence and also of our shared responsibility to build a world marked by peace, justice, and compassion.
He closed his participation with the following prayer (excerpt):
In the midst of a turbulent world scarred by hate, we pray for ourselves and for all people, that we may labor toward a world where violence is no more. We long for the day when nation no longer rises against nation, when weapons are set aside, and when war is taught no more.
Until that day, strengthen us to live as people of peace, to work tirelessly for justice, and to embody the hope that your kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.
In the name of the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen.
