The lesser tragedy of 9/11

Today is the 5-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Everywhere you turn, one couldn't help but be reminded of the horrors which occurred that fateful day. It got me thinking back and recalling how my life was forever changed...
The day after the Towers collapsed, members of our church met to pray. The first thing that really shook me was that while ours was a 200-member congregation, only 15 souls showed up to pray for friends and families of those who died, injured, or were still unaccounted for. It didn't make sense to me. The few of us were also the ones deeply involved with ministry and activities at the church. At that time, I was a board member, youth group leader and Sunday school teacher. Most of the others there were leaders of some type.
At the conclusion of our prayer time, the senior pastor talked with the rest of us, and said, "We're going to be leaving the front doors of the church unlocked this week. A lot of people will be looking for a place of sanctuary and peace in this dire time."
OK, I thought, makes sense, but something's missing... "Are we going to have church members available to be here to pray with and talk with these people?"
Puzzled, the pastor shook his head. "No, I really don't see the need for that."

9/11 was the day hundreds perished due to religious zealotry and intolerance.
9/12 was the day the Church became officially irrelevant due to religious indifference.

The pastor actually thought the building was important to make available to the community, but not the people??? I spent the next 3 1/2 years screaming within the Church walls to wake up and reach out to the "world," rather than shut herself inside to "protect" herself from it. Nobody listened. Finally, I gave up.
I deeply regret I ever sold myself out to such an organization that was so self-serving and said it cared, but clearly didn't.