Dr. John J. Scibilia, far right, executive director of LDRNY, visits with the students.

The Comfort and Renew Center at Ground Zero – home to Lutheran Disaster Response of New York and Koinonia NYC -- was filled with young faces from around the world recently, as a delegation of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod youth participated in a Faith Walk.

The group, consisting of young folks from Russia, Korea, Canada, England, France, Thailand, Puerto Rico, joined fellow LCMS members from the United States on a tour of Ground Zero.

The youthful delegation had participated in the LCMS Synodical Convention in St. Louis and was enroute to the National LCMS Youth Gathering in Orlando, Florida. While traveling through New York, they expressed interest in visiting Ground Zero and learning about the work of LDRNY. Dr. John J. Scibilia, Executive Director of LDRNY, met with the group, along with the staff of Koinonia NYC, organizers of the Faith Walks.

“Through Faith Walks, groups visiting New York have an opportunity to experience Ground Zero as more than a tourist and discuss how the church responded to the events of Sept. 11,” said Pastor Ann Tiemeyer, Director of Koinonia NYC. “Our Faith Walks are an opportunity to gather as a community of faith and share stories of hope in the face of destruction and disaster. It is an opportunity to share THE story of God’s promised new life conquering death.”

Since it opened last August, more than 300 people have visited the LDRNY Comfort and Renew Center at 22 Cortlandt St., overlooking Ground Zero, and many have participated in a Koinonia NYC Faith Walk.

Colleen Healy, the Assistant Director/Kids Café Coordinator from Redeemer Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, wrote: “Thank you for your spirit and energy and the care you gave our group while showing us Ground Zero. Your ministry is powerful and we’ll remember the stories!”

Jason Kempthorne, associate youth director from First Lutheran Church, Duluth, wrote: “Thank you a ton! Our kids, although tired from driving overnight, loved the Faith Walk. It was the highlight of the trip for many of the kids as well as the adults.”

Koinonia NYC Faith Walks are designed to illustrate to visitors how the events of Sept. 11 and its aftermath have created an opportunity for the church to witness to the power of Christ-centered community in the face of human-caused disaster. Groups of any age and with five or more people can register for the three-hour Faith Walk by contacting Koinonia NYC at 212-669-6130 or at KoinoniaNYC@yahoo.com.

You may also visit LDRNY at the Comfort and Renew Center and get an overhead perspective of Ground Zero by calling Mikki Baloy at 866-864-1600, mbaloy@ldrny.org.