SUNDAY TOMORROW: THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN ONE CHURCH IN N.Y.C. THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW -
cultureshock Sat, Oct 13, 2001 at 13:34:20
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THIS E-MAIL SENT TO CULTURE SHOCK, FROM PASTOR MERCALDO. FROM HIS CHURCH SOME ARE STILL MISSING FROM THE WTC BOMBING. IT MIGHT HELP US TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AT GROUND ZERO AND HOW THIS CHURCH AND OTHERS ARE RESPONDING. IN A WORLD SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ... GOD BLESS AMERICA.
AND NOW IN HIS OWN WORDS.
Dear Friends:
Please forgive this letter to all of you, but so many have asked for word on what has been happening in NYC, and the churches here since September 11, that I thought it best to write one open letter to all our friends. I hope you will understand. Here goes.......
America will never be the same again. The world we raise our children in will be different from the one we grew up in. This is a time to call upon the God of our fathers, both spiritually and nationally. When the terrorist attacked the World Trade Center (WTC) on that infamous morning, America was sleeping militarily, defensively, morally, politically, economically and religiously. We started drifting years ago, but now we woke up to the deadly attack of an enemy we have long tolerated in bombings and deaths since the early eighties. Yes, Israel and many other nations were hit harder and more frequently, but we thought they would not openly attack our homeland with the force they had attacked others. Now we know better, but it is too late to turn back the pages of history and death for over 6,000 innocent Americans going to work, school, and vacationing that morning. People from 60 nations suffered loss with us, but none like the devastation in our two greatest cities.
We have seen the mention of God, and the practice of prayer and Bible reading, pushed out of our schools, courts, sports, political institutions, and a move was even on to see Him out of our Pledge of Allegiance and off our currency. But that was September 10, 2001. Then came the WTC attack, and all was changed in less than one hour, as Americans cried out to God for help and mercy in the time of need.
What had happened to America in our generation was in direct conflict with what our Founding Fathers sought to establish in our birth as a Nation. John Quincy Adams said (1821) "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." Chief Justice Earl Warren said (1954) "I believe that no one can read the history of our country without realizing that the Good Book and the spirit of the Savior have from the beginning been our geniuses. I like to believe we are living today in the spirit of the Christian religion, and that as long as we do so, no great harm can come to our Country." Ever since Tuesday morning, September 11, we have been crying out to our "Eternal Father Strong to Save!", and to "God, Our Help In Ages Past," and we haven't heard a critic say a word!
Not only was America sleeping, but in many ways the Church was sleeping. We have slumbered for many years, as recently reported by George Barna in a report showing that the moral standards of the Church are not very different from the World.
Slowly but surely, the "bar has been lowered" for the standards of holiness and morality within the evangelical church in America. Gallop's recent poll revealed that while religion is on the rise, morality is going down in American society. The Church has not affected society, so we to join it by default.
The flickering cry for Revival was all but out as we relished in our accomplishments and materialism with the growth of evangelicalism since 1976. Our books and music were selling at record number and our concerts were filled, but our prayer meetings were empty or gone. But that was September 10, 2001. Then came the attack on the WTC, and while two giants fell before our eyes, another giant was waking up....THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Yes, something has happened to America since 9/11, but even of greater consequences, something has happened in the Church. Prayer has become the focus of millions, as our President called on our modern day prophet, Billy Graham, to call the Nation back to God. No, I don't believe God is the cause of the horrific attack on the WTC, but God can use the "wrath of man" to accomplish His purposes. Our Founding Fathers believed it was God's purpose for America is to lead the people to freedom from tyranny and oppression, and religious freedom. God's purpose for the Church is to set people free from the power and dominion of sin, death, and Hell. On September 11, ours eyes were opened again to God's purposes for our Nation and His Church. "What centuries should have done, now hastens the setting of the sun!"
So many have asked what the Church in NYC has been doing since that morning. First, let me say what God is doing in the Church. We are coming together as never before. This terrible event has caused us to reevaluate our relationships with each other, and new friendships and alliances are being formed as a result. A "Ground Zero Clergy Task Force" was formed, and our uniting together has given us a channel for receiving and distributing funds to the right places. It also gave us an entry into the Mayor's Office. That has opened the door for our pastors, by the hundreds, to be credentialed for spiritual care of those devastated by the attack. Through our united efforts, and help from the Mayor's Office, a new task force (Clergy Crisis Responder) has been born to enlist and credential ordained, experienced, and Red cross trained pastors for spiritual crisis intervention counseling in events like the WTC attack. Our eight pastors were among the first to be certified, and have spent hours and days counseling at Ground Zero and in the Family Assistance Center in Manhattan over the past weeks. We believe this will go on for months to come, but now we are prepared and ready!
The awesome task of relief work, and the strategic distribution of the millions of dollars given to help families in need, will be funneled through the Ground Zero Clergy Task Force, World Vision, World Relief and others. "Hub-churches" are being set up in each our Boroughs to cover the region. Gateway Cathedral is one of those churches. The money given by God's people to these Christian relief organizations will be given "in the Name of Jesus" by caring Christians through local churches. We are hoping to use these funds for direct relief work, counseling, and providing needed services to people in our communities. One example is the need for hundreds of hooded sweatshirts and boots for the National Guardsmen and other workers at the Staten Island Landfill. As Winter comes, they will continue to sift through the steel and debris of the WTC. They need physical relief and spiritual care as they pull body pieces from the rubble twenty-four hours a day. That will go on for months to come. Thanks for your support and prayers as we minister to them, and the thousands of recovery workers in our City.
On Thursday night, October 11, over 5,000 gathered at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, in an event we called "United We Rise," which was spread to dozens of church locations throughout the City and surrounding Counties, live, via satellite. It was the first outreach sponsored by a new coalition of almost one hundred church leaders who have come together since September 11. You didn't see any of us at the Yankee Stadium Prayer Gathering sponsored by our City leaders, because they didn't know who to call to represent the vast evangelical constituency of our region. But that will change for the future, as God raises up new leaders and a united voice in the "Big Apple!" This must happen in every city in America. It is time for the true Church to take the spiritual leadership in America.
How we praise God for the massive prayer effort that has accompanied our work. Churches and individuals, from all over the World, have called saying they are praying for NYC and the churches and ministries here. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has set up a prayer ministry here in the City, along with the help we are receiving from the Concerts of Prayer, the American Bible Society, the Salvation Army, Campus Crusade For Christ, the Navigators, and many others. Thanks to the hundreds of you who are praying for us and our City. We have received calls and e-mail from all over the World. It is a great encouragement to us!
We have much to be concerned about as our President has declared War on Terrorism in our generation. How thrilling it is to see him giving spiritual and moral leadership to our Nation in this time of crisis. If our children and grandchildren are to live in peace and freedom, then "conquer we must, when our cause it is just: and this be our motto, In God is our trust! And the star spangled banner in triumph shall wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."
Something unspeakable happened on September 11 that will go down in history as a day of infamy. But something has begun to happen in our homes, churches, schools and Nation that will count for eternity. I see a slow, but deliberate, turning back to the God of the Bible, the God of our Founders, and in seeing that I have hope for tomorrow. Pray for us, and pray for America. Join me in praying, "Our fathers' God, to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing, Long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God OUR KING!" I guess John Ashcroft was right, though greatly criticized, when He quoted one of the Founders who said we have no King but the Lord. God bless America, and God bless us all.
Pastor Daniel Mercaldo
GATEWAY CATHEDRAL
200 Boscombe Ave.
Staten Island, NY 10309
(718) 966-4500, (Fax) 718-966-8577
E-mail -gatecath@aol.com.
Website - Gateway Cathedral
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