Ten years after that fateful day for America, members of our community gathered Sunday afternoon on the public square to pray, lift their voices in song, and to remember the events of September 1, 2001.
The Smithville Community 911 Memorial Service was presented by several local church groups.
The program began with a welcome and invocation by Anthony Rosolowski of the First Baptist Church.
Susan Hinton, on piano, and Colton Rhody on guitar performed accompaniment as the crowd joined in singing “O God Our Help In Ages Past” and “God of Our Fathers”
Members of the First United Methodist Preschool Choir performed “God Bless America ” under the direction of Emily Bass
The program also featured Thea Tippin, who performed a song of praise and worship. Later, her husband, country music entertainer Aaron Tippin sang “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly”, the same song he performed for the first time in public ten years ago at the first memorial service on the town square, held just days after the 911 tragedy.
Three local ministers quoted scripture and offered prayers during the service including, Mark Bass of the Smithville First Baptist Church, Larry Green of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Dr. John Carpenter of the Smithville First United Methodist Church.
To close out the service, the crowd joined in singing “America, the Beautiful”