The historic chapel of St. Paul, downtown Manhattan's oldest public building in continuous use, unveiled a spectacular "Ground Zero" exhibit May 2 in honor of the remarkable volunteer-driven relief effort following the tragic events of September 11. The Rev. Dan Matthews, former rector of Trinity Church, Wall Street, welcomed the gathering, which included former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, dedicating both the exhibit and the chapel to the continuing ministry of hospitality.
"Several days after the attack, an extraordinary ministry of hospitality sprang forth," Matthews said. "Many of you here today are an integral part of that caring that took place inside these very walls."
Finding meaning
"Unwavering Spirit: Hope and Healing at Ground Zero" was created by ESI Design, a New York-based company founded in 1977 by Edwin Schlossberg. An earlier exhibit, "Out of the Dust," parts of which have been incorporated into the new exhibit, was originally intended as a three-month endeavor. As people poured through the door it was decided to extend the term, and almost three years later it had drawn millions of visitors. [www.saintpaulschapel.org/in_depth/interactives.shtml]
"What we came to realize is that the ministry of hospitality from the recovery workers was in fact extending to the visitors," Matthews said. "They were the pilgrims. They were looking to find meaning out of this terrible tragedy."
Schlossberg told the gathering what a gift it had been to work on the project, adding, "We tried to create an exhibition which represents the history of St Paul's--a lot of the difficulties and challenges it has faced--and to stimulate the idea of sanctuary."
In addition to a colorful collage of banners, artifacts, images and text, the exhibit offers an interactive computer experience enabling its visitors to explore a video anthology, an artifact library, and an interactive timeline. It includes a provision to send messages from the chapel.
"The new exhibit program invites visitors to share their stories--in images and text--with others," Schlossberg said. "And, by focusing on the relief effort following 9/11, it will be differentiated from the planned memorial at the World Trade Center site."
'Never give up'
Lord Carey brought greetings to the gathering and spoke about his inspiration from visiting St. Paul's Chapel a few months after 9/11 and seeing the place full of "living bodies."
One of his last acts as Archbishop of Canterbury was to dedicate a bell for St. Paul's Chapel on behalf of the mayor and the people of London. "'Forged in adversity' are the words on the bell," Carey said. "I think that sums up Americans--you never give up."
Referring to St. Paul, after whom the chapel is named, Matthews explained how he repeatedly used the word 'agape', a Greek word meaning ‘unconditional love.’
"The ability to respond to another person's need is what this place is," Matthews added. "This place was filled with such 'agape' that it transformed the lives of the people who worked and visited here."
New rector--universal hope
The dedication doubled as the first official act by the Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, 17th rector of Trinity Church. As he prepared to cut the ribbon, Cooper, formerly rector of Christ Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, said that he was reminded how every church is always catering for the unforeseen need of the community around. "It didn't just begin on September 11," he said. "But that event touches the entire world and all of the tragedies we suffer in our personal lives and corporately. Therefore the hope of Trinity St Paul's is a universal hope throughout all humanity...
"We move forward with hope, love, peace, reconciliation and healing as the ultimate goal."
