It is an Honor to Serve for another Year!

Yong Cheon Song
March 10, 2013

Dear All,

I would like to thank everyone who voted for me in the recent election, and also Nick for taking part in the election process. Let me also extend my thanks to the IFA Board and committee members who have volunteered to support IFA in the coming year.

It was very appropriate that Rev. and Mrs. Yong Cheon Song, our newly appointed Senior Director of the FFWPU spoke to IFA on March 3rd – this is time for a new start for Japan and a new start for international couples living here. Rev. and Mrs. Song want to encourage all of us to feel we can finally have some impact here to bring about a new image for the Japanese movement. They brought incredible victory in Europe, overturning a key law that prevented our True Parents from entering many countries there, and upon that foundation changed the perception of our movement there.

Please download the Sunday Service message here if you have not done so already: cl.ly/3e0k1L1s3G08

As I shared earlier in the week, IFA Board officers were called to a meeting with Mrs, Song last Monday morning where she explained in more detail about our True Parents expectations. She went on to explain how we, as an international community can do important work by contacting our respective embassies, finding out about cultural and other embassy events, and beginning to get involved in those activities. She would like us to gradually become known by participating, and later volunteering to support these activities in some way. Then, when a UPF event is held in Japan (Rev. and Mrs. Song will initiate them based on their contacts in Europe) we will be in a position to invite the embassy staff to attend. In this way, we can begin to influence these officials in a positive way.

Please listen Mrs. Song's message to us here: cl.ly/14471Z2k3f3j

This year I would like IFA to support in the Embassy project as much as we can. For those who interested in doing so, please send an email to me and we will send you information about how you can participate.

I would also like IFA expand its reach beyond our the Tokyo metropolitan area and connect with the many international families living throughout Japan. I encourage you to let anyone who does not yet know about IFA to use email address and get in touch so we can provide information and support.

Finally, for those of you who don't know me, here is a brief bio: I am originally from the UK and moved to Australia when I was 12. I joined the church in New York City in 1982 and worked there for six years before returning to the UK in 1988 and going to Korea for the 1275 couple blessing in 1989. Eiko and I stayed in Korea for four years. We have lived in Japan since 1994 and have 4 wonderful children from elementary school through high school.

Looking forward to a great year in 2013!

In their Love