The Words of the Chidester Family
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The Words of the Chidester Family |
The second son of a second son of a second son, Gary Chidester was born on a U.S. Air Force military base in Louisiana to a devout Catholic couple from Arkansas as one of four sons and two daughters. He attended high school in Japan at a U.S. Air Force installation, and a year later in 1973, he became the first member from Arkansas to join the Unification Church.
Gary has served as a Unification Church State Leader of the Unification Church in Mississippi, Delaware and Alabama and founded CARP chapters on six campuses. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State College in 1982 with a degree in philosophy and was hand-picked by Reverend Sun Myung Moon to attend the Divinity program at UTS in Barrytown. New York. After graduating with a Masters of Divinity and Religious Education in 1985, he served in the Philippines with Religious Youth Service (RYS), then served in Florida as State Director of American Constitution Committee (ACC), state director of American Freedom Coalition (AFC), and Vice Regional Director and Pastor in Florida until August 2012. He was Blessed in marriage in 1986 to Maria Pia Salvati of Italy, with whom he has three children. he and his family currently resides in Miami, Florida.
Question: What are your thoughts on the Inauguration Ceremony?
Standing in the hallowed hall where Father Moon spoke to us so many times before, we stood in a line awaiting the onset of the ceremony. It was like a line of soldiers waiting for the marching order. We bow and images of samurai pledging loyalty to a sovereign Lord come into mind. We are seated, and a line of 12 brothers and sisters come in with small tubs of water, placing them before each of our feet. As I look into the eyes of Headquarters staff, the biblical story of Jesus' feet being washed comes to mind, and I feel unworthy. The warm water rinses over my feet, one, two, three, four times, and I feel a purification -- my foundation renewed for a new beginning. A small towel is used to pat my feet dry, with the letter "C," for my last name. We rise and embrace, giving me a sense of support from Headquarters. We file out, and then come back in. I am standing in front of a young member. I go to my knees and place her feet in the warm water. It is my turn. I pray silently for her, "May God grant great blessing upon the members," as I rinse her feet four times. We rise and embrace. I feel Heavenly Father hugging through me. May I be able to serve and take care of the Blessed Families in my district. We are all anointed!
Question: What nicknames did you have growing up, and why?
One nickname I had was "Ohio." I was in my first semester at college in Arkansas and my father was stationed at Wright-Paterson Air Force Base in Ohio. When the kids at college asked where my family lived, I said, "Ohio," and they called me "Ohio" all that first semester.
Question: What story does your family always tell about you?
I stood in line for six hours to vote in the 2008 election to cast my vote for McCain. This year I only had to stand in line for two hours to vote for Romney, but I stayed because I had heard from Joshua Cotter that Father Moon said the country would have to vote Romney into office, or a great catastrophe would happen in America. This year my wife, my daughter and I all voted together.
Question: If you could travel back in time, who would you meet and why?
I would like to travel back in time to meet Saint Peter. I would like to hear how it was to follow the living messiah at that time, and then how they coped to follow and witness after the Lord passed into spirit world.
Question: If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do during the time you would normally spend sleeping?
If I didn't have to sleep, I would spend my time reading a good book.
Question: If you could be a superhero, which superhero would you be? How would you use those powers?
If I could be a superhero, I would be Mirror Man. He would reflect the character of the one with whom he is having give-and-take. The super power would not only reveal the evil in one's character that needed to be changed, but reveal how it could be changed.
Question: Do you have any phobias? If so, what are they?
The only phobia I have is heights, but I find myself in situations to challenge that time and again.
Question: What is an exotic dish that you've never eaten but would like to?
One exotic dish is made of 14 types of expensive chocolates and even has a gold leaf one could eat. It is called the Frozen Haute Chocolate Sundae at Serendipity 3 in New York.
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