Article November 5, 2001 Issue

A rose. . .and a prayer

By Judith Schmidt

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Camden, Maine, not far from where I live, is an imposing white wooden building on Elm Street.

On the Sunday afternoon after the September 11 terrorist attacks, I happened to drive past the church. I felt impelled to drop off two articles that had appeared in The Christian Science Monitor. One was called, "Thou shalt not be afraid . . . ." The other was titled, "Prayer in response to terror." I stopped the car and tried the doors, including the entrance to the kitchen. They were all locked.

As I returned to my car, a cheery voice called out, "Can I help you?" It was the minister, Glen Rainsley, his hands dripping with soapsuds. He was washing dishes after the service. "This is the first time the door have been locked since Tuesday," he said with an apologetic smile.

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