View a Free Adult Small-Group Bible Study Lesson

Queen of Country Leaves the World a Better Place

The Wired Word for the Week of September 6, 2026

In the News

Country singer songwriter icon Dolly Parton died on August 25 following a brief battle with cancer. She was 80. Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March of 2025.

"Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus," her nephew, Bryan Seaver, said in a statement from the family. "Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet. ... Dolly's unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact."

Many have noted the near universal appeal of the best-selling female country music artist of all time, beloved by religious and nonreligious people of all ages, races and political ideologies. She's been called everything from a "Jezebel" to a prophet or a "secular country-pop saint" and the "Jesus of Appalachia." In 2011, photographer Alice Hawkins created a project titled, "Dolly Parton is my religion." Some preachers have made her the subject of sermons, under the heading, "The Gospel According to Dolly."

But in 2020, Dolly wrote, "I'm not that religious, but I'm very, very spiritual." And in 2021 she said, "I don't want to be worshiped, because there's a scripture in my Bible that talks about idol worship."

When someone asked her how she practiced her faith, Dolly said, "I don't practice it. I live it." And she lived it in her own way, supporting LGBTQ+ rights and the Black Lives Matter movement as an outgrowth of her understanding of what God desires from us. She also believed a person did not have to ascribe to Christian theology "to be a decent and worthwhile human being."

"We are all God's children," she told Larry King in 2016. "I just love and accept people where they are for who they are," she said in an Associated Press interview. "I try to love everybody."

Born in 1946, the fourth of 12th children, Dolly grew up in a one-room cabin without running water or electricity in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. She was raised in a Pentecostal church where her grandfather "preached hell so hot that you could feel the heat." She was so frightened that she went to the altar repeatedly to avoid that fate. "I must've got saved 15 times," she said. 

At around 12 years of age, Dolly started visiting an abandoned church where people went to drink and have sex. She would read the Bible verses and look at off-color graffiti on the walls and somehow feel "the presence" and peace of God. Later she said that she found God and herself there.

The next year, she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry. In her seven-decade career, Dolly wrote more than 1,000 songs, sold more than 100 million records, produced 49 top-10 country albums, won 11 Grammys, with 55 nominations, starred in the hit movies, 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, and created a business empire worth approximately $650 million. Her hits included "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5," "Family," "Islands in the Stream," "Jolene" and "God Only Knows." A recipient of the Recording Academy's lifetime achievement award, Dolly was inducted into three halls of fame (the Country Music HOF, the Gospel Music Association's Gospel HOF and the Rock & Roll HOF).

Russell Moore wrote that Dolly exhibited a kind of self-respect that Joan Didion described as "a certain toughness, a kind of moral nerve; ... character ... the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life."

A prodigious philanthropist, Dolly contributed to causes near and dear to her heart: childhood literacy through her Imagination Library, which has gifted more than 300 million books to children around the world; educational grants and scholarships for Dollywood employees and local students enrolled in the Dollywood Foundation's Buddy Program that incentivized at-risk children to finish high school; health care, which helped develop Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine and supported pediatric and women's medical units; hunger relief; emergency and long-term natural disaster relief for victims of wildfires, flooding and Hurricane Helene; and the opening of Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to provide employment, skills training and affordable entertainment for more than three million local residents and visitors every year.

When asked what she thought people saw in her, Dolly responded, "I really like to think it's God spark." 

More on this story can be found at these links:

Dolly Parton's Faith Was Hard to Measure. The Christian Century

In Dolly Parton's Theology, God and Acceptance Shared the Same Stage. AP News

Dolly Parton Never Hid Her Faith and Never Used It Against Anyone. That's Why Everybody Loved Her. Relevant

'I Am a Person of Faith': How Christianity Shaped Dolly Parton's Music and Spirit. Religion News Service

Remembering Dolly Parton, Whose Artistry and Generosity Touched Generations. PBS NewsHour

Applying the News Story

Use the news to consider how to build good character and do good deeds that honor God and bless others.

The Big Questions

1. What's a Dolly Parton song that is meaningful to you? What impact, if any, has she had on your life?

2. Why do you think so many people felt a sense of kinship with Dolly? What was it about her that drew people together in spite of radically different politics, theology, culture or ideology?

3. What does "The Gospel According to [Your Name]" sound like?

4. What would it take for people to give you the nickname, "The Jesus of [Your Town]"?

5. What can churches and communities learn from Dolly?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Genesis 37:3-4, 23-24
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him an ornamented [many-colored] robe. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. ... So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the ornamented [many-colored] robe that he wore, and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. (For context, read Genesis 37:1-36.)

When she was a child, Dolly watched her mother stitch rags together to make a coat for her to wear to school. As she sewed, her mother told her about the coat Joseph's father made for him, evidence of how much he was loved. Dolly says she wore her coat of rags proudly, feeling like a queen, because it reminded her of how much she was loved. She was confused and hurt when other children laughed at her unusual attire. But somehow she recognized that they were just as poor in material things, while she lived in a one-room shack rich with love. Later, Dolly wrote the hit song, "Coat of Many Colors", about that experience.

Of course, Joseph was stripped of his beautiful robe, and for years wore the rags of a slave and convict, before he was elevated to a position of power and clothed in royal garments in Pharaoh's administration and family. In that role, he could have had his revenge on his brothers for their cruelty and betrayal, but instead he forgave them and used his advantage to provide for their needs.

The prophet Isaiah rejoices in God, who he says "has clothed me with the garments of salvation ... [and] covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). Jesus uses similar imagery in the parable of the prodigal son to describe how the father (who represents God the Father) treats his wayward son, dressing him in his best robe, ring of authority, and sandals for his feet (Luke 15:22).

Questions: How might the memory of the coat his father made for him have helped sustain Joseph in the frightening years of separation from him, slavery, false accusation and incarceration in Egypt? When have you felt God clothing you with the garments of salvation and covering you with the robe of righteousness, when you were sure you didn't deserve to be treated that way? How did that impact you?

Acts 10:38
... how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (For context, read Acts 10:34-43.)

Jesus is our best example of what it means to do good in the world. He put his time and effort into healing all who were oppressed by the devil, including those who had no means to repay him for his kindness. He could have made a name for himself and made a fortune serving the rich and powerful, but offered healing to all comers. He taught his disciples to do good even to those who hated them, because that is how God treats even the ungrateful and the wicked (Luke 6:27-36).

Many biblical passages contain commendations of those who do good works and acts of charity (Acts 9:36; 1 Timothy 5:10) and commands that God's people are "to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share" (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 3 John 1:11; Hebrews 13:16; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Paul says that we were "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

Dolly took that advice to heart. In a 2019 interview, she said that when she was very young, an elderly woman at church told her that God had a special purpose for her life. That prompted her to believe that she "was supposed to do something good." She began to feel "responsible to God ... to be doing something for God." She told PBS NewsHour's Amna Nawaz that she wanted to be "useful."

Since then, she said she prayed daily for God's guidance away from "all the wrong things, wrong people in my life," and toward "all the right things, right people, and to let me glorify Him and uplift mankind, to do something in this world to make it a little better than it was, and let me be a light and a vessel to be used." While we don't save ourselves or somehow earn our way to heaven, God's generous kindness shown to us in Jesus prompts us to express our joy and gratitude through doing good to the best of our ability, by the power of God's Spirit at work in us.

Questions: Why do you think people who call others "do-gooders" don't always mean the epithet as a compliment? Would it be better to be called "do-badders"? What good deeds are you prompted to do because of the grace and mercy God has shown to you?

John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (For context, read John 8:12-19.)
Matthew 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (For context, read Matthew 5:13-16.)

Jesus brought physical light into a blind man's world by healing his eyes (John 9:1-7). He brought spiritual light into Saul's life by healing his spiritual blindness (Acts 9:1-19).

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas and Presbyterian seminarian, commented, "Dolly Parton said, 'We are all pieces of God. All of us have that God light inside of us.' Jesus told us the same thing. He said, 'I am the light of the world.' But he also said, 'You are the light of the world.' Me and you. Like any good teacher, Jesus is trying to get us to see the light inside ourselves. People like Dolly Parton show us how to shine that light." 

Questions: How does spiritual blindness manifest itself in the life of an individual or group (a nation, a church or other organization)? Why can Jesus guarantee that anyone who follows him will have the light of life? Are Jesus' followers the light of the world in the same way that Jesus is the Light of the World? Explain. How are you shining your light before others so that they give glory to God?

Luke 5:29-32
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (For context, read Luke 5:27-32.)

Jesus called Levi (aka Matthew), a tax collector, to follow him, and "he got up, left everything, and followed him" without hesitation (vv. 27-28). Then Levi threw a party for him, inviting his friends to sit at table with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees and scribes recoiled at this. In their minds, association with "tax collectors and sinners" only meant one thing: "Birds of a feather flock together" and "Sleep with pigs, wake up with mud." Nothing good could come of it.

But Jesus looked at people from the wrong side of the tracks differently: If they were hurting and he was called to be a healer, it made perfect sense that he should go to the sick and injured rather than to the healthy who didn't need any help. If his critics called him "a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" (Luke 7:34; see context of Luke 7:24-35), then he would wear the moniker as a badge of honor.

Dolly Parton said she based her public persona on the local tramp she saw as a child, who she thought was beautiful. Where others saw trash, she saw treasure.

When the Pharisees and scribes grumbled about the way Jesus welcomed sinners (Luke 15:1-2), our Lord responded by describing how God in mercy seeks and saves lost sheep, lost coins and lost boys. And he warned those who looked down on others that "the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you" because they believed God's message John the Baptist proclaimed, while the religious leaders did not (Matthew 21:28-32).

Questions: Who might we be tempted to view as modern-day "tax collectors and sinners" who should not have a seat at God's table? Would you be comfortable if people started calling you "a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [and fill in the blank]"? If not, what might Jesus (and Dolly) say to you?

For Further Discussion

1. "On many occasions, when my dream seemed far away, my mama would tell me the story of  The Little Engine [That Could] to comfort and encourage me," Dolly recalled. "While I listened to her, I would close my eyes and think of myself as the Little Engine and just start saying over and over again, 'I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.' It gave me strength, it gave me hope, and it gave me the courage to keep chasing my dreams."

            Share with the group about a book or story that inspired you when you were a child.

2. Scan the poem, The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac, Part 3, by Mary Oliver. How might the verse reflect the way Dolly lived her life? What does it mean to "belong to the world"? What is it about the world that you admire? That you weep over? That musicians might compose music and poets might write poems about? How can you avoid wasting whatever time you are given to live in this world?

3. In her 2019 duet with Zach Williams, "There Was Jesus," Dolly sang that whatever the circumstances of her life, Jesus was always there.

            How have you known the presence of Jesus in different seasons of your life?

Responding to the News

1. In lieu of flowers, Dolly's family asked for donations to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

2. A quick search on the internet will offer many links to sites, songs, podcasts, videos, movies, books, documentaries, and more, if you wish to reflect further on how Dolly expressed her faith and joy.

Prayer

Merciful and gracious God, thank you for indiscriminately pouring out your goodness on us, shining your light and sending your life-giving rain on good and evil alike. We confess we don't understand that kind of generosity, and find it hard to emulate it. But we thank you for the example of people like Dolly, who said she was a sinner and "no angel," and yet did her best to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, extending welcome and kindness to everyone. Help us to shine as light in the world, to bring hope and relief to suffering people whenever we have the opportunity, by the power of your Spirit. Amen!

Other News This Week

Ceremonies and Fundraising Mark 25th Anniversary of 9/11

The Wired Word for the Week of September 6, 2026

In the News

President Donald Trump will offer remarks at the Pentagon on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, instead of visiting Ground Zero in New York City. According to CNN, Trump has chosen not to attend the ceremony at the World Trade Center, in part because the event does not allow politicians to speak.

The president's team initially discussed having Trump, a native New Yorker, attend the memorial service at Ground Zero. But the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which runs the event, has not allowed politicians to speak since 2012, based on a desire to keep the remembrance nonpartisan. When Trump told his team that he wanted to give a speech, his travel plans were changed from the World Trade Center to the Pentagon. In his place, Vice President JD Vance will attend the ceremony in New York.

According to The New York Times, the 25th anniversary event in New York is expected to include former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani; former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary; former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura; and former President Barack Obama, among others. In recent years, Republican politicians have stood alongside Democrats as families have stepped onto a stage to read the names of the dead.

Trump has attended the 9/11 event in New York City in previous years, including in 2016 as the Republican presidential nominee and again in 2024 ahead of his second election. During his first presidential term, he attended and spoke at the events held at the Pentagon and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania -- two of the three sites hit by terrorists.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly has said that the president's remarks this year "will remember those who were killed at the hands of evil terrorists, honor their loved ones, and pay tribute to the brave first responders who put their lives on the line to rescue their fellow Americans."

Last year, Trump spoke at the Pentagon on the anniversary of 9/11 and said that those who perished in the terror attacks would never be forgotten. "In the quarter of a century since those acts of mass murder, 9/11 family members have felt the weight of missed birthdays and empty bedrooms, journals left unfinished and dreams left unfulfilled," Trump said. "To every member that still feels a void every day of your lives, the first lady and I unite with you in sorrow. And today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget September 11th, 2001."

Trump's plans to speak at the Pentagon this year, rather than at Ground Zero, may also allow for a smoother trip to Ireland. According to a White House official, he is scheduled to travel on September 12 to his golf course in Doonbeg, where the Irish Open golf tournament will be held.

In related news, the Associated Press reports that the September 11 Memorial & Museum has launched a $75 million fundraising campaign, with a focus on educating the millions of youths who do not remember the terror attacks. Organizers have already secured $25 million through initial gifts, and now Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City Mayor, has pledged to match the next $25 million in donations through his Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Beth Hillman, the president and CEO of the organization, says that they need funding to reach the 100 million Americans born after the attacks. "The ongoing importance of remembering 9/11 is to remind people that they can come together even in the face of incredible loss," she said.

As the 25th anniversary approaches, Hillman sees a "compelling story of service, of hope, of resilience, of coming together" that needs to be told to those who are not old enough to remember the attacks. For example, celebrity chef Bobby Flay was among the many chefs who prepared meals for first responders in the months following the attacks. Family members of victims started social services organizations such as "9/11 Day" to inspire volunteering in memory of their lost relatives. Such stories will be told in an exhibit called "In Their Honor."

But along with generating stories of service and resilience, the terror attacks fueled 20 years of overseas wars and caused a rise in hostility, mistrust and suspicion toward American Muslims. In addition, many 9/11 first responders developed chronic illnesses and still face hurdles to care. Americans must contend with a complicated story as they observe the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

More on this story can be found at these links:

Trump to Mark the 25th Anniversary of Sept. 11 at the Pentagon, Forgoing a Visit to Ground Zero. CNN

Trump Plans to Mark 9/11 at the Pentagon, Not Ground Zero. The New York Times

New York City's 9/11 Memorial Fundraises to Educate Youth with $25 Million Match from Mike Bloomberg. Associated Press

Applying the News Story

If you were alive 25 years ago, share your responses to the 9/11 terror attacks. If you had not been born, what do you know about the event, and what more would you like to know? Discuss the horror of 9/11, as well as the stories of service and sacrifice that followed, along with the more negative or troubling responses to the event.

The Big Questions

1. Where were you on 9/11? What do you remember? How was your faith impacted, if at all?

2. What impressed you about American and international responses to the terror attacks? Where did you see evidence of service and sacrifice? What lessons would you like to pass on to younger generations?

3. How did your attitude toward Muslim Americans change after 9/11, if at all? What guidance did your church give you, if any?

4. What was your response to the overseas wars that followed the terror attacks? How did your feelings about these conflicts change over time, if at all?

5. How do you feel challenged to be a peacemaker, as a follower of Jesus Christ?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

2 Kings 25:7
They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah; they bound him in fetters and took him to Babylon. (For context, read 2 Kings 25:1-12.)

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, ruling 597-586 B.C., and while he was on the throne the Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem. The siege led to a devastating famine. When Zedekiah attempted to flee, he was caught, imprisoned and punished. His sons were killed in front of him, and then Zedekiah was blinded -- a punishment usually given to rebellious slaves.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, then "burned the house of the LORD"-- the temple built by Solomon. He also burned "the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem" (v. 9). The army broke down the walls around Jerusalem, and the captain of the guard "carried into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon -- all the rest of the multitude" (v. 11).

Questions: What is your response to the complete destruction of people and buildings, through warfare or terrorism? How do you make sense of it, in light of your faith? Why is it important to remember such horrors?

Genesis 50:19-20
But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today." (For context, read Genesis 50:15-21.)

Joseph's own personal 9/11 occurs when his brothers become overwhelmed with jealousy, and conspire to kill him. No doubt the anger of the terrorists who attacked the United States 25 years ago was fueled, at least in part, by this kind of resentment and jealousy.

Fortunately, one of the brothers intervenes, and convinces his siblings not to take Joseph's life.  Instead, they strip him, throw him into a pit, and sell him into slavery. They smear his robe with goat's blood, and show it to their father, tricking him into believing that Joseph has been torn to pieces by wild animals. Joseph is carted off to Egypt, where he becomes a slave of one of Pharaoh's officers.

Fast-forward to the end of Genesis. Joseph has risen to power in Egypt, and has become second-in-command to Pharaoh himself. A famine hits his homeland, and his brothers travel down to Egypt to buy grain, not knowing that Joseph is now the governor of the land. After a series of tests and negotiations, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, and they are relieved that he does not strike, stab or slay them for their previous offenses.  They fall down before him and say, "We are here as your slaves" (v. 18). They did the crime, so they expect to do the time.

But Joseph goes in an entirely different direction. "Do not be afraid!" he says to them. "Am I in the place of God?" -- certainly not. Even though they intended to harm Joseph, God intended it for the preservation of numerous people.

What a jaw-dropping response this is, from a man who had been betrayed by his brothers, tossed into a pit, and then sold into slavery. We might expect him to be angry, but he is not. We would sympathize if he was bitter, but he is not. We would understand if he felt a need to pursue revenge, but he does not go this way at all. Instead, he focuses on reconciliation.

Questions: Looking back on 9/11, what would it have meant for Americans to prioritize reconciliation over revenge? On a national level, and on a personal level? How could the church have helped with this?

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (For context, read Matthew 5:1-12.)

The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5 through 7, is probably the most famous sermon Jesus ever preached. It starts with the Beatitudes, all of which begin with the words "Blessed are ..." When Jesus says that we are "blessed," he is not saying that we are necessarily "happy." To be reviled and persecuted because you follow the Lord might turn out to be a blessing (v. 11), but it is not going to make you feel particularly cheerful. 

To be blessed, in this case, is to be made privileged or fortunate by the action of Almighty God. It carries with it a sense of salvation and peace and well-being. You might say that the opposite of blessed is not "unhappy." Rather, the opposite of blessed is "cursed." To be blessed is to be given the gift of divine favor, a gift that we all have a deep human hunger to receive.

With this perspective in mind, we can get a clearer sense of what Jesus is talking about when he describes his disciples as "blessed." What he is saying is that these former fishermen are blessed because they are experiencing the coming of God's kingdom, and they are in the process of discovering that their lives are being reshaped by this new reality. 

When disciples allow themselves to be reshaped by the kingdom, they discover that they are "poor in spirit" (v. 3) -- a term that describes people who find their true identity and security in God. There is nothing weak or pathetic or shameful about being poor in spirit, but instead it means that we are not deluded enough to think that we are masters of the universe and in complete control of our lives. 

This spiritual poverty is really an excellent quality to have in a post-9/11 world of terrorist threats, international tension and economic uncertainty -- it means that we are dependent on God, first and foremost, and that the Lord will reward us with the gift of his kingdom. 

In similar manner, when disciples are shaped by God's kingdom, they are able to be "peacemakers." These "children of God" are actively involved in making peace, as children of the One who is always working for reconciliation in the world. While not always happy, these disciples have received the gift of divine favor, and they know the salvation and well-being that comes from life in God's kingdom.

Questions: When have you been challenged to be a peacemaker? What was the difficulty of this work, and what were the benefits? How did this effort connect you to the kingdom of God, if at all?

Luke 22:27
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. (For context, read Luke 22:24-27.)

Sitting at table for the Passover meal, Jesus breaks the bread and shares the cup. Then a dispute arises over who among the disciples is the greatest. They clearly have not grasped the importance of Jesus redefining greatness in terms of service to others,

Jesus observes that the "kings of the gentiles lord it over them," using royal power to show their greatness over their subjects. He also says that "those in authority over them are called benefactors" -- these wealthy men and women use their money to be "benefactors" in the Roman system of patronage (v. 25). Neither approach to greatness is in line with the way of Jesus.

Instead, says Jesus, "the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like one who serves" (v. 26). He challenges them to lead through service to others, and lifts himself up as an example of "one who serves."

Questions: Where do you find greatness in service? What kinds of sacrifices were made on 9/11 and in the days after the attacks, and why are they worthy of remembrance? How can you be a servant leader today?

For Further Discussion

1. Thomas Jefferson, a founding father not known for his Christian faith, said that the words of Jesus were "the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered." How should the words of Jesus guide our country today, if at all? How do they shape your words and actions? Be specific.

2. TWW Team Member Bill Tammeus lost a nephew on 9/11 -- Karleton Fyfe was on the first plane to smash into the World Trade Center. On this anniversary, Bill writes, "I'm aware that my own Christian Protestant tradition also has violence in its history -- violence that never solved any of the issues over which battles were fought. But that tradition also teaches the importance of not devaluing other humans, not using violence to settle disputes, not forgetting that we are disciples of one called the Prince of Peace." Why do some of the world's great religions -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam -- sometimes abandon their own theology and participate in violence? What can you do to follow the Prince of Peace in your family, church and community?

3. TWW Team Member Mary Sells recalls that when the Surfside towers collapsed around the corner from where she lived in Florida, she bought many copies of Bill Tammeus's book Love, Loss and Endurance: A 9/11 Story of Resilience and Hope in an Age of Anxiety. She gave copies to the Jewish and Christian clergy and first responders who worked at the site and with the families. What can you do to help first responders, clergy and families experiencing grief? How can the church do a better job of addressing trauma?

4. How can you share your memories of 9/11 with members of the younger generation, who have no memory of the event? What values would you like to transmit, as you attempt to follow Proverbs 22:6, "Train children in the right way." Be specific.

Responding to the News

Think about the ways that you could have responded more faithfully to the horrors of 9/11, focusing more intentionally on the call of Christ to peacemaking and service. Put these values to work in the week to come.

Prayer

We thank you, Lord, for being our refuge and strength in times of great upheaval, terror and evil. Keep us close to your Son Jesus, so that we might always respond to violence as his disciples, and as citizens of your heavenly kingdom. In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we pray. Amen.

Copyright 2026 Communication Resources