September 11 events in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - As the nation remembers the attacks of September 11, 2001, many events throughout West Michigan are scheduled to commemorate the day. This is a list of some of them:

-- The Boy Scouts of America will be saluting the American flag at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum all day. Speakers from the community will talk at 4 p.m. and a candlelit vigil at 8 p.m.

-- West Michigan Healing Field in Cannonsburg is displaying 3,200 American flags. The healing field will be displayed through Tuesday afternoon.

---  St. John's United Church of Christ will hold a Morning of Remembrance and Prayer on Sunday, September 11, 2011. The observance will begin at 7:59 a.m., the departure time of Flight 11, and include prayers, music and silence in a real-time reading of the Sept. 11, 2001 morning's timeline. Church doors will open at 7:30 a.m. St. John's morning worship service, "I Can Relate to My Enemies," will begin at 10 a.m., pausing at 10:28 a.m., the time of the World Trade Centers South Tower collapse, for a minute of silence. All events are free and open to the public.

---  A vigil will begin at 8 a.m. on September on the lawn of the state Capitol in Lansing. At 8:30 a.m., members of the Lansing Jaycees and others in attendance will join with the Lansing Fire Department and Lansing Police Department and walk to Remembrance Plaza in Wentworth Park on the corner of Michigan and Grand avenues. The observance at the park will feature the Glen Erin Pipe Band, patriotic music and moments of silence to mark each of the attacks.

---  A stair-climbing event to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the World Trade Center will take place inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on September 11 and costs $25. There is a discount for families of four or more, and students with valid ID can register for $10. All proceeds will be donated to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

-- A tribute to military veterans, police and firemen will be incorporated during services at Daybreak Church, 3501 Baldwin, Hudsonville. Local actress Peggy Keuning will perform "God Bless America" as part of a 10-minute music and multi-media show. Services begin at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

---  A service of Hope and Remembering is scheduled for 11 a.m. September 11 at the New Life Church of God in Christ, 1072 Jefferson SE in Grand Rapids.

---  First (Park) Congregational Church, 10 East Park Place NE in downtown Grand Rapids will hold a worship service on September 11 at 11 a.m. commemmorating the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Park Church's Chancel Choir will present Gabriel Faure's "Requiem in D minor" with soloists, violin, harp and organ.

--- A memorial service to honor police, fire and rescue personnel is set to begin at 1 p.m. September 11 at the Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road in Portage. The event is coordinated by First Reformed Church of Portage and Portage Free Methodist Church, in conjunction with The Portage Department of Public Safety. The Rev. Clayton Smith, a former firefighter from New Brunswick, New Jersey, will speak. An ice cream social will follow at 3 p.m.

---  An interfaith service will be held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids beginning at 2 p.m. on September 11. The service is to "honor and remember" all those who serve. The religious communities participating include the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Islamic Center of West Michigan, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Congregation Ahavas Israel, St. Mark's Episcopal Church and four fire ministries. First responders include the police, fire, EMS and military representatives. At 3 p.m., a blessing of the emergency response vehicles and a memorial walk from Cathedral Square to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will take place.

---  At 4 p.m., a free concert will be held at Fountain Street Church to honor those who died 10 years ago. Many area artists have agreed to perform, starting with the Calvin College Alumni Choir under the direction of Dr. Pearl Shangkuan, who is also the Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony. Edie Evans-Hyde and her husband Michael Hyde will perform, as will Contralto Gwenneth Bean. Dylana Jenson, Violin Soloist and spouse of David Lockington, will be part of the program, as well as Blues Singer- Perfomer, Junior Valentine and local duo Ryan and Amber Kilpatrick. The Grand Rapids Women's Chorus and West Michigan Gay Men's Chorus have been invited, along with other artists. The Grand Rapids String Quartet will play, concluding the concert with the famous Barber Adagio. There will be a free-will offering taken, which will be sent to "The Thin Blue Line," a fund that helps the families of first responders in Michigan who are injured or killed in the line of duty.