Parking lots at houses of worship across the country were often packed, with standing room only at some services. In many cities, people of diverse faiths lit candles and joined in community prayer vigils. Amid incidents of harassment, some mosques held open houses, both to clarify for neighbors the teachings of Islam and to thank those who reached out in reassurance.

In the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, millions of Americans have turned to religious communities not only for solace, but also to embrace and support one another in unprecedented ways and to begin to consider where and how to go on from here.

Just as televised prayer services have helped the nation come to terms with its shared grief and disorientation, so the actions of clergy and congregations are helping to calm fears, counter divisive acts, and encourage open discussion on the values that should guide the country's short- and long-term responses to terrorism.

Congregations play a role as "comforter," says the Rev. Jeff Black of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas. "When you pray together, you claim a higher source of security, and assert that we are all human beings wanting comfort, that we're giving it to one another and getting it from God."

They can also play a role as "clarifier," he adds. When we are angry and upset, "it's a moment of great spiritual danger, so we need to remind ourselves to proceed carefully with whatever sense of humility we can muster."

"We also need to dig deeper for religious wisdom and the spiritual insight to guide our responses," says the Rev. Jim Wallis, head of Call to Renewal, a national group of clergy based in Washington, D.C.

The first priority for clergy has been meeting the pastoral needs of members, and many denominations have marshaled resources to support them as well as to extend emergency help to those directly affected in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Denominational websites offer chat rooms for sharing grief and seeking guidance, educational aids for parents and teachers to meet the needs of children, concise explanations of the teachings of Islam, samples of interfaith prayers, and updates on support for disaster-relief efforts.

Denominations are working closely with the Red Cross and Church World Service to give pastoral care to victims' families and recovery workers. Interfaith clergy teams have counseled families visiting the Pennsylvania crash site and workers cleaning up the site, and have offered similar help at the Pentagon. Long-term pastoral support is planned for ground zero in New York City, including a Family Assistance and Child Care Center.

Another outpouring of caring has come in the wake of the reprisals and hate crimes that have sprung up across the country. As mosques and businesses have been vandalized, and individuals harassed or threatened, congregations, religious leaders, and interfaith groups have responded vigorously.

"The energy in reaching out with thousands of calls and letters has been unprecedented," says the Rev. Clark Lobenstine, director of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC). "For example, the mosque near Dulles Airport was spray-painted inside with all kinds of epithets, but they have also been overwhelmed by gifts of money and volunteers from churches and synagogues."

Mr. Black's church in Austin sent a special collection to the local mosque "to say 'we're glad you're here,' " he says.

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