God's Ideal Family : The Model for World Peace

Chicago did it again. Amazingly Bishop Kim once again totally touched Father and Mother's heart, so much so that Father signed speech booklets twice, once in the evening after the event and then the next morning Father himself asking to sign again. I've never seen Father do that. Why? There was a spirit of love for True Parents in the event Many religious leaders have been attending True Parents' speeches over the years. What we see happening now is the Ambassadors for Peace, especially Rev. Acevedo, with his 200-strong Ambassadors for Peace, (coming out of his Hoon Dok neighborhood family church effort), as well as thousands of clergy are becoming one family together with True Parents. These leaders have the distinction of having attended eight or nine of True Parents' speaking events over the years. What we can see over time is that everybody has grown and developed and now has become one in heart. They have been blessed and have joined the movement.

Pastor Barrett brought 30 leaders from his church, filling three tables. Dr. Briella is his assistant pastor, also a professor of medicine at the University of Illinois medical school. She has been touched by Father Moon's ability to be a strong male leader and yet never forget the role of the women, always lifting up Mother Moon, always calling upon the women to take the lead.

Pastor Barrett stunned everybody because for years he has suffered great persecution after publication of the Clouds of Witnesses. (Jesus testimony that Rev. Moon is the one chosen for the second coming.) He shared that he felt he was the one most blessed because he and his wife were brought back together by True Parents. He said, man is not complete without a woman. Therefore, I was an incomplete man because I lost my wife, and yet I loved the same woman and never wanted to marry another. My dream was that one day we would come back together. Father Moon made that dream real during the 50-state tour. My wife and I are happily blessed in marriage by Father Moon. Over the years I've struggled to understand his ministry and message, always feeling that there was a great power in the work he was doing to bring God's people together. I have to say now on this day of Saturday, Sept. 24th, 2005, that I have also come to believe that Father Moon has been anointed as the messiah of this age. Hallelujah.

The spirit of the Chicago event was typical of Chicago. Rev. Bishop Connie Crawford Bansa, renowned for the "Jericho Walk", Rev. Bansa's choir spiritually turned the house upside down. People were overwhelmed with the feeling of joy and happiness.

Then Secretary of State Jesse White, who has always stood with Father Moon through thick and thin, along with Cong. Danny Davis, gave incredible support for Father Moon's work for peace. Over the years Jesse shared that he saw the movement grow and he could see that nothing could stop it because it's truly the work that is helping all people. And it will continue to grow. He demonstrated his commitment to helping the communities by having the Jesse White Tumblers do special tumbling routines. About 50 young people from the Cabrini-Green projects and the Robert Taylor homes came to perform that night. Thousands have gone through the program - young people, who coming from the projects, would be very unlikely to have much opportunity, found hope in the service and moral principles and the physical discipline that is provide by the Jesse White tumbling team. The team has become renowned not only throughout American but also Europe and Japan. Several thousand full scholarships have been secured for these young people of the projects to attend and complete their college education.

The power of the tumblers is quite amazing. They do a gymnastic routine where one after another runs the length of the ballroom, diving into the air over their brothers and sisters, and rolling on the mats that are laid out before them in somersaults, without breaking their necks. With each routine the gymnasts go higher and higher. Then a trampoline is put on the floor and standing nearby is a pyramid of three or four people. The tumblers then hit the trampoline, catapulting about 20 feet into the air, somersaulting and landing perfectly each and every time. It is truly an awesome feat to witness.

Bishop Stallings was absolutely stunned and jumping out of his chair, although he could not tumble, he wanted to. He was shocked at this presentation. We didn't know that he had not seen it before at previous TFV banquets.

Bishop Kim's consistency has built a family movement of pastors and Ambassadors for Peace that will not break apart. This was the 10th annual True Family Values awards. I remember in 1996 when Bishop Kim started the first True Family Values awards. Here was the 10th annual event, and what was more amazing was that Bishop Kim was able to bring True Parents to seven of the ten events. Several times True Parents made a special trip simply on Bishop Kim's invitation, (which he's never done anywhere in the world), to go to the True Family Values banquet. Consistency pays off. That's why the monthly prayer breakfasts that the Chicago family continued have now become the model for ACLC throughout the nation.

[I have seen the enormous effect on Boston because Rev. Kil Hwan Kim and Rev. Bamfo followed this strategy of consistency of heart, investing in the people until they become like one family. This is the spirit that Rev. Joshua Cotter (newly appointed National Director of Field Operations) is going to bring to the Neighborhood (HDH) family church movement. We believe that, as the ACLC pastors become family over time through consistent meetings that only seek to enhance their faith, our associates, neighbors and relatives will also become one family with True Parents over time through consistent meetings in our homes if we're loving respectful and continue to serve them in a way that does not change their faith or situation, but enhances it and helps them complete their course to become true children of God.]

The governor of Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Gov. Thomas Vilsak of Iowa commended the founding of the Universal Peace Federation. The state treasurer of Illinois, Judy Baar Topinka, also commended the True Family Values banquet. These commendations throughout the nation, we must remember, were secured with one week notice, which is most significant.

The True Family Values award recipients were the Rev. Wealthy Mobley, Sr., pastor of Gospel Truth Missionary Baptist, Church, the Rev. A.P. Randal, of Twelve Gates Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. A. Harold White, senior pastor of True Life Baptist Church, Rev. William Thompson, pastor of New Greater Christ Baptist of Michigan. The newly appointed Ambassadors for Peace were the Hon. Jesse White, Secretary of State of Illinois, Prof. Morton Kaplan, professor emeritus University of Chicago, Rev. Carolyn Arnett, pastor of Mercies of God Full Baptist Church of the True God of Minnesota, one of the largest black churches in Minneapolis, and Rev. Dr. Thelma Dr. Johnson, president, CEO and Founder of What About The Children, Inc., in Ohio.

Father's address again was in the spirit of the history of his relationship with Chicago He said, once again Chicago is strong, shik shik hago means strong in Korean. He told Bishop Kim in front of the audience of 1,500 that Bishop Kim must really digest all the evil of Chicago. Father also got a lot of joy out of his give and take with Dr. Morton A. Kaplan, a long-time ICUS chairman and senior advisor, who highlighted the fact that Father could foresee the future and the demise of communism long before Gorbachev brought on perestroika. In fact, while Father was in Danbury prison in 1985 he directed that a conference be held with the title, "The Demise of the Soviet Union," at a time when the Soviet Union was seen as being at the peak of its power, devouring one country after another. Father said Dr. Kaplan came to Danbury and begged him not to use that title, that it would be seen as outlandish and incorrect, but Father could see the future and knew already that communism's power had now passed and there would be nothing but decline.

Therefore, without hesitation Father instructed that the title remain, that it would come true. Hearing Father's recounting, Dr. Kaplan laughed and said, yes. Father told him, this may be the last time we see each other. Interestingly Dr. Kaplan told Rev. Sutchar earlier that day - this will be the last time I see Rev. Moon. Father told Dr. Kaplan that when he goes to spirit world, he should tell them that he is a student of Father Moon and then he would be taken care of. The bond of love between them was so strong, demonstrating that Father never forgets those who stand with him in history.

Father was very impressed with the quality of the clergy in attendance, especially Dr. Harold White and his wife, who dressed alike. (They inspired to being this tradition by True Parents blessing of marriage, after which they began always dressing alike at church.) This time Dr. White was very distinguished in traditional black suit with the Episcopal clerical collar (round white collar that goes all the way around the neck) , and his wife in a beautiful black dress with an artistic white collar (not clerical). Father kept saying, you look so distinguished. Do you understand my teaching about the blessing? Dr. White replied, yes, Father. We're a blessed couple. We were blessed by you.

Bishop Connie Bansa gave the call to action. It was amazing to see her on the stage. When clergy greeted True Parents on the stage after the program, Mother said to Rev. Bansa, "I've missed you recently. Where have you been?" Mother was so sensitive to notice Rev. Bansa's absence for two years, during which she was struggling with the era of taking down the cross. But we are seeing an amazing phenomenon now, how True Parents' true love truly overcomes differences of culture and tradition. In fact, True Parents' love overcomes all differences. Therefore, we can be of different backgrounds, races, cultures, but that is not a barrier for True Parents love to touch people's hearts. This love allows them to come outside of the box and cross barriers of their faith tradition and cultural background. True Parents really care, as evidenced by the fact that Mother remembered Dr. Bansa and asked where she had been. Rev. Bansa said to me afterward, I've come home again. I'm so happy to be with True Parents. This is the era after the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven.

True Father commented that having the Imam, Rabbi and Pastor on stage is a sign that heaven is supporting this kind of activity. We should not be proud or boast that we're doing this work by ourselves. We're doing it in cooperation with heaven, and also the saints and the religious founders in the spirit world totally support True Parents. That's why the inevitable coming together of God's people is now occurring. The walls are down and if we take steps towards one another we will feel the presence of God.

The next morning at Hoon Dok Hae True Father said that Chicago is like the backbone of America, having the fortitude and guts to accomplish the Bering Strait project. Father noted that the Mafia operates in Chicago and that True Parents' love will clear up all those activities, by showing people a better way of life than the things that bring sadness and conflict.

A new era has dawned this is the era of the peace king. Thank you, Chicago. You had you speech booklets signed two times!!! I never saw that one before. Hats off to Bishop and Mrs. Kim, David Rendel, Rev. Sutchar in Chicago and Japanese missionaries, Rev. Seo, Rev. Jim Gavin and Rev. Jim Bard in Minneapolis, and also to the Ohio Region - Rev. Kim, Rev. Schrattenecker. The Chicago movement continues to grow and thrive based on True Parents' true love.

I must highlight one aspect of Bishop Kim. Every time there is an occasion to welcome True Parents or participate with True Parents, the most essential element I saw in Bishop Kim's heart is that he is truly and genuinely so excited that True Parents are coming the place where is working. Though there is great sacrifice and struggle to make a great success that never dimmed the excitement with which Bishop Kim would prepare for True Parents. As he had meetings with the clergy they can feel his excitement and they come out with that heart. That heart creates an environment of respect and love that has bound the family of Chicago together and it binds the people together with True Parents. It certainly changed my life, and I pray that it will continue to expand throughout this nation.

With love, great confidence in and hope for America.

America loves True Parents!!!

Sincerely,

MWJ

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home