Faiths join in Seattle service

Associated Press

SEATTLE — Muslims and Jews joined a capacity crowd at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral on Sunday as worshippers sought solace after the shattering terrorist attack on America.

"This is just a wonderful expression of solidarity," said the Very Rev. Robert Taylor, dean of the cathedral.

The first three services of the five-service day filled the 1,100 seats at the venerable church on Seattle’s Capitol Hill.

Taylor said many Muslims introduced themselves to the congregation before services.

"The Muslims have said to me that god, any god who is a god of terror, is not our God," he said.

Regular parishioner Cherry Haisten, 49, said Sunday’s service was particularly important to her.

"Every Sunday is important to me, but because of what’s happened this week, this is special," she said. "I think this is clear evidence that the spirit is so important in the world."

Another regular parishioner, Carl Sackett, 39, of Seattle said all his relatives from around the state were in Seattle to attend church. He said prayer was especially important this week.

"You’re praying for the people who have been lost," he said. "This is a sad day; it’s a sad day for the whole nation."

A huge candlelight procession was planned from St. Mark’s to St. James, the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral, for Wednesday at 7 p.m. Muslims and Jews will be included in the one-hour procession.

In SeaTac, police reported burglars broke into the Masjid As Salaam mosque Friday night. The burglars shattered a window and pried collection boxes open.

The collection boxes contained no money.

"It’s strange timing because the mosque has never been burglarized before," mosque administrator Ali-Salaam Mahmoud said. "We’ve gotten the heightened security anyway because we have cars passing by with swastikas on the bumpers."