The Words of the Goldberg Family
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The Words of the Goldberg Family |
Dear Families,
The cool weather as we start this new month reminds me of Autumn -- even though it is still Summer. Reflecting on the events of this past half year leads me to think deeply about the history of our young Unification Movement and about my personal portion of responsibility. During the past 30 years or so we all can recall some common church experiences which include many activities that helped us to grow spiritually. I can never forget debating hard core Marxists on college campuses in the 1980's or selling flowers on Christmas Eve in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 5 feet of snow.
At the same time, each of us has a personal path we must walk. Some moments in our lives of faith have been and will be joyful and victorious, some will be bittersweet and others will be sorrowful. We can live a life of meaning and purpose no matter what the circumstance if we know who we are and what brought us here. It is good to reflect on these things and to reflect on the meaning of this year 2010, in our lives of faith. This is a new age, brothers and sisters. Our goal this year is to get connected and to get back to basics.
The Unification Church has endured misunderstanding and persecution -- yet we have been taught to bring victory out of defeat and to dare to live an exciting dream no matter what. We may suffer bumps and bruises and set backs of many kinds but those need not shake our foundation. We ought to give thanks for the basic teachings given to us by Reverend Sun Myung Moon, for the bedrock principles we find born out in biblical history and in our own lives. The basics of our faith will never change. God is our Eternal Parent and we are God's children. When we sin and fall short of God's glory, we can repent and joyfully return to our parent's loving arms. Simple acts of kindness and service feed our spirits so that we can live with courage and purpose.
What do we have to be proud of in front of Heaven? 28 years ago our church made a big splash in The Big Apple (New York City)! A lot of us got connected literally! We got hitched. Congratulations!
2075 couples entered into the annals of American history by participating in a public wedding ceremony officiated by True Parents in Madison Square Garden. Many of our families here in the D.C. Metro Area represent the results of that event. Other great blessings followed that one. 6000 were blessed in Korea in October that same year. Other holy marriage blessings made history starting with True Parents' in 1960. How many children proceeded from all these blessings I cannot count, but the one in 1982 led to a population explosion for our movement! Whatever the date of your blessing and marriage you will probably never forget it. Certainly God can never forget you or your family! What all of us have in common is True Parents, so it makes sense to give thanks to the originators of the Blessing. So, thank you, True Parents! And congratulations to all families of all blessing years!
July is a new month and we are truly living in a new Era! Can you feel it?
We now have a rare opportunity to share our founder's life story: A Peace Loving Global Citizen. Many of us are having great experiences already giving the book to friends and neighbors. Please come by early, at 9 AM, this Sunday to meet for testimonies in the Founder's Room at New Hope. This can be the first of many gatherings to support and encourage one another to reach out with the truth about our movement's origins.
The cool air of early July mornings suggests a coming harvest season with fruit ripe and ready to fall off the tree into the baskets of the gatherers. How big is your basket? Do you come to the harvest with a tea cup? Or will you bring a steam shovel?
If you come with a big heart of hope and expectation and open your mind to possibility and promise, then you will reap a harvest of plenty and fill your storehouse with joy. Take this opportunity and open up to God, come with a friends and come with your family the world is waiting for you to claim your birthright.
See you on Sunday.
Pastor Matthew and Marianne Goldberg