Linda Wieland writes for the Scientology Press Office in Los Angeles, CA.
Memorial service at the Church of Scientology of New York looks back on 9/11.
Just blocks from Ground Zero at the Church of Scientology of New York, Rev. John Carmichael held a 9/11 memorial service to honor those who helped in the wake of the terror attacks.
Eight years ago this Church was headquarters for the Scientology relief effort. Within minutes of the first attack, local Scientologists rushed to the scene to set up and staff disaster centers. In the months that followed, some 800 Scientologists from the U.S. and around the world contributed thousands of volunteer hours at Ground Zero, distributing food and water, providing one-on-one counseling to rescue workers and working in the community to help New Yorkers cope with the devastation.
A New York Times article on the work of the Volunteer Ministers said, “many religious organizations are supplying assistance for the disaster, few are as well-organized as the Scientologists, or as evident at the scene.”
“9/11 was a wake-up call,” said Rev. Carmichael, “What happened here in New York brought home to Scientologists everywhere that it is our responsibility to help our communities and society.”
Rev. Carmichael pointed out that the work of the Scientology volunteers at Ground Zero marked a turning point in the Volunteer Ministers movement. In fact since 9/11, Volunteer Ministers have helped nearly 11 million people, at disaster sites, through goodwill tours and in cities towns and villages on 6 continents.
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard created the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program more than 30 years ago. Since that time, Volunteer Ministers have responded to some 126 worst-case disasters. Today they are among the world’s most recognized independent relief organizations. Their website, www.volunteerministers.org, offers free online courses in the methods they use.
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