09/11/2026
A PASTORAL MISSIVE FOR PATRIOT DAY
In Solemn Remembrance of September 11th, 2001
Friday September 11th, 2026
Office of the Presiding Prelate
United Apostolic Church International
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 KJV
To the Saints of God, our fellow Americans, and all who join us in remembrance:
Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied unto you through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, we bow our heads in solemn remembrance of September 11th, 2001. Twenty-five years have passed since that morning, yet the weight of its sorrow remains deeply woven into the hearts of families, communities, and our nation. We remember the lives taken at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Behind every name was a life of immeasurable worth—a family’s joy, a friend’s encouragement, a loved one’s embrace, and a future that should have been.
We remember those who left home expecting an ordinary day and never returned. We remember the final telephone calls, the desperate prayers, the unanswered questions, and the empty places at family tables. For those who lost someone they loved, this anniversary carries a grief far more personal than any public ceremony can fully express. To every surviving spouse, child, parent, sibling, friend, and colleague: your loved ones are not forgotten, and your sorrow has not become insignificant with the passing of time.
We honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, chaplains, medical professionals, and countless others who answered the call to serve. We remember those who entered danger to rescue strangers and those who gave their lives in that sacred work. We also hold in prayer the survivors, recovery workers, and responders who continue to endure illness, injury, trauma, and loss connected to that day. Our gratitude must include an enduring willingness to care for those who continue to carry its burdens.
As a veteran and a servant of the Gospel, I also remember the military members and families whose lives were profoundly changed in the years that followed. We honor their service, mourn those who did not return, and pray for those living with wounds both visible and unseen. May our communities make room for their stories, extend patient understanding, and offer practical support beyond the words spoken on days of remembrance.
As the Church, we are called to be present where suffering remains. Scripture instructs us to “weep with them that weep”—Romans 12:15 KJV. We need not offer easy explanations for another person’s pain. We can listen, pray, sit beside the grieving, and help carry what has become too heavy to bear alone. The ministry of compassion continues long after the ceremonies conclude.
On this Patriot Day, may our love of country be expressed through faithful service, responsible citizenship, and a sincere regard for our neighbors. Let remembrance deepen our commitment to peace and strengthen our resolve to protect human life. Let us refuse to turn grief into hatred toward innocent people because of their race, nationality, or religion. Every person bears the dignity of being created by God, and the command to love our neighbor remains binding upon us even in the shadow of tragedy.
I therefore encourage every congregation, ministry, and household within the United Apostolic Church International to pause for prayer and remembrance. Speak the names of those you remember. Reach out to someone who may find this anniversary especially difficult. Thank those who serve your community. Perform an act of kindness without seeking recognition. Let the memory of lives lost inspire us to use the days entrusted to us with greater compassion, humility, and purpose.
Let us pray:
Merciful Lord Jesus, we bring before You every heart still carrying the sorrow of September 11th. Comfort the bereaved, strengthen the weary, and sustain those who continue to suffer in body and mind. Protect those who serve in dangerous places, and grant wisdom, humility, and discernment to those entrusted with public responsibility. Teach us to care for one another with patience and sincerity. May Your peace reach the places where fear and grief have long remained. Help us honor those we remember through lives of love and faithful service. In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
We remember the lives. We honor the sacrifice. We stand beside those who still grieve.
In His Service,
+The Most Reverend Dr. Ricky J. Phillips
Presiding Archbishop-Designate
Presiding Prelate and Presiding Apostle
United Apostolic Church International
