Community Patriotic Prayer Service
  AC Jones High School Auditorium 

Beeville, Texas - September 18, 2001 
       Updated September 19 1:01 pm 
  By John Galloway and Beeville.Net

A patriotic prayer service was held at the A. C. Jones High School Auditorium in Beeville on Tuesday Night, September 18 at 7:30 P.M. 

The service began with Presentation of Colors by the ROTC Color Guard of A.C. Jones High School. The singing of the National Anthem by the audience with a group of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts caring American Flags entering down the aisles and posting themselves behind the speakers on stage. Their were 12 ministers that offered prayers for each group of victims in the tragedy of Sept. 11 as well as the rescue personnel. The A.C. Jones High School Choir sang God Bless The USA. The audience joined in the singing of My Country 'Tis of Thee, Amazing Grace and God Bless America. 

The Beeville Fire Dept. had a ceremony to honor a fallen comrade which included the Tolling of the Bell and Echo Taps. It is estimated that about 700 people attended. The VFW gave every person who came an American Flag, Galloway & Sons employees pinned on each person a red, white and blue ribbon and gave them a program as they entered.

The Boy Scouts stood during the service holding American flags while the community leaders spoke and prayed. 

Among the individuals and groups participating:

• A.C. Jones High School ROTC Color Guard
• Doug Burton leading congregation in singing National Anthem, God Bless America, and My County, 'Tis of Thee
• Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Boy Scouts of America
• Message by Rev. Mark Spence, Pastor First Presbyterian Church
• "God Bless the USA" - A.C. Jones High School Choir, Everett McAulay, Director
• Prayers for:
  • Airline Passengers - Rev. Don Taylor, Pastor Faith Lutheran Church
  • Firemen, Policemen, and Rescue Workers - Rev. Gordon Talk, Pastor First United Methodist Church
  • Pentagon and Military Personnel - Mark Spence
  • People of New York and Washington, DC - Fr Richard Gonzales, Pastor Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
  • All Victims in Spanish - Richard Carrera, Deacon El Buen Pastor Baptist Church
  • World Trade Center Victims and Families - Rev. Jesse Berthold, Pastor New Life Baptist Church
• Prayer Reading from the Psalms -  Rev. Katherine Riggs, Pastor, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
• Prayer of Healing - Rev. Jerry Huckman, Pastor First Christian Church
• Closing Prayer-  Rev. Carl Pickett, Pastor Full Gospel Church
• Fireman's Bell Comments - Donnie Morris, Fire Chief, Beeville Fire Department
• Tolling of the Bell for Fireman who died - Beeville Fire Department
• "Amazing Grace" - Everett McAulay and Bo Mac
• Echo Taps -  Kasey Gillett and Chuck Knowlton, A.C. Jones High School Band Director