It was to remember the victims, and to honor the medical, emergency and military personnel who worked so hard to rescue and recover the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that was Lynn Vehorn’s motivation for organizing a concert of sacred Christian music.

Like most Americans and people worldwide, Vehorn was moved by the tragedy and wanted to do something positive.

“I was inspired by the courage shown by the firefighters, police, medical and military personnel following the events of Sept. 11,” the Langley woman said.

“I couldn’t be there to help in the same way they did, but what I can do is bring people together to make beautiful, sacred music. Music is inspirational,” she said.

Vehorn has brought together about 85 singers and musicians from 16 Whidbey Island churches to perform in two concerts marking the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Called simply “Passion,” the concert will be performed at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts on Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. and again at First Reformed Church in Oak Harbor Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.

The concert came about in a dream, Vehorn said.

“On Good Friday this year, I dreamed an entire concert program. I woke up, wrote it down and wondered what I could do with it,” Vehorn said. “The music was all sacred, and traditionally sacred music is performed on Christian holidays — Christmas and Easter.”

Vehorn, who is musical director at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Oak Harbor, said she continued to consider what her dream and its music meant. She talked to several friends and eventually realized the music she had dreamed about was especially appropriate as a Sept. 11 remembrance.

The program will include both choral anthems and Christian contemporary praise and worship. Words to five songs will be printed on the concert program for audience participation.

Vehorn wrote about her idea to most of the church choirs on the island.

“I didn’t get a response right away,” she said. “I was a little worried. Then the telephone was ringing off the hook, calls from people wanting to participate.”

The result is a 75-person choir and 10 musicians: two pianists, two guitars, one drummer, one bass guitar, two flutists and two violinists. The assistant director is Charlene Davenport.

“We have people with many different levels of musicianship participating,” Vehorn said.

The question of whether to charge admission to the concert did come up, since none of the musicians are being paid.

“But we do have to cover the costs of the light and sound people at WICA,” Vehorn said. Any amount over those costs will be donated to World Vision’s American Family Assistance Fund.