"A group of Episcopal priests and lay persons from the United States gathered in St Matthew's Anglican Church, Westminster for a brief time of prayer and conversation with the Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife, Eileen Carey, today.

The group of Americans come from various parts of the United States included two priests from New York. The Archbishop lit a candle in the midst of the Sanctuary to remember those who have died in the United States and led the group in a prayer and blessing.

The Reverend Dr John Kevern, Dean of Bexley Hall Seminary in the United States celebrated a Requiem Mass for the departed with prayers for all those who were injured and traumatised by the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. In his opening remarks before the mass began Dr Kevern said "We gather together on this day of bereavement and shock, a shock I know that is shared by the British as much as by Americans. I am sure I speak for my own countryman when I say we want to thank the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Archbishop and those very many people in the United Kingdom who are praying for us and who have so kindly expressed sympathy. We Americans are deeply touched."

As the Mass began Dr Kevern said, "We offer this Mass then for the repose of the souls of those who have died; for those who may now be dying; and for the families of all who are or will be bereaved; and indeed for the courageous rescue and support workers."

The American priest then spoke of the need for wisdom to prevail in the councils of state "that in seeking justice we seek not revenge but the reconciliation of a broken world for whom Christ died."

In the prayers for the people, the parish Lay Reader prayed for the families and friends of those killed and for government and military leaders as they face difficult decisions. He also said " we pray for others who influence others in the media in writing and in the entertainment world, that all may take responsibility for their actions that often cause us despair as we see reality and fantasy merge into one in front of our own eyes."

St Matthew's Church is well known in the diocese of London for welcoming Americans. The clergy present at the service included The Revd Canon George Brandt, Rector of St Michael's Church, New York; The Revd Dr John Thompson of the Episcopal Church Centre, New York; as well as The Revd Canon John L. Peterson and the Revd Dr William Beaver, Americans living in London.

The Anglican Communion Office in London has received messages of sympathy, concern, care and condolence from around the entire world. The Archbishops of Sydney, Cape Town, Nigeria and Kenya have both sent messages as well as the Dean of the Cathedral in Melbourne, the Bishop of El Salvador, the Bishop of South Western Brazil and the Bishop in Jerusalem. In his letter to the Presiding Bishop of America, the Most Revd Frank T Griswold, Bishop Riah Abu al-Assal of Jerusalem said "Like many in the world I am awfully shocked at what I witness and hear from Jerusalem, the troubled city. I find myself unable to comprehend or to even understand the horrors of this divided and broken world, there are no available answers for our questions, instead I am silenced." The Bishop went on to say, "we are as the Church called upon to struggle against evil in the world provided that our struggling does not resort to the means of the evil doers. We struggle with the weapons of God."

Special prayer services were offered in St George's Cathedral in Cape Town as well as St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem.

A National Service will be held Friday, September 14 at St Paul's Cathedral London, in the presence of the Queen and with Archbishop Carey preaching."

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