Source: The Huntsville Times
On September 1, 2006 The Huntsville Times reported, "With Nigerian drummers, Hindu dancers, Christian prayers and Baha'i songs, Interfaith Mission Service leaders have organized a service to celebrate the ability of Americans from different faiths and cultures to work together during crises. With the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaching, and the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina just past, that collaboration will be celebrated in an evening service Sept. 10. 'Building a Community of Togetherness' will use the traditions drawn from many faiths to reflect the diversity of the Tennessee Valley. The service will be introduced at 5:40 p.m. by a showing of 'Baraka' (Hebrew for 'blessing'), a wordless movie that shows people in faith celebrations around the world. The 6 p.m. service will feature Nigerian Catholic drummers, American Indian traditional blessings, and prayers, songs and dances from most of the world's major faith traditions in the Christian context of Wesley Hall at First United Methodist Church... 'After Katrina and 9/11, it was the faith community of all different stripes, cultures and traditions who came together as first responders,' said Zara Renander, a member of the core committee of Huntsville Interfaith Mission Service that is planning the Sept. 10 gathering. 'In our world, which is so dangerous, we can no longer allow ourselves the luxury of saying only one group has truth. We must learn to love each other, and to respect the different revelations of the holy, the sacred.'"