The Words of the Goldberg Family
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The Words of the Goldberg Family |
Dear Families,
Last Sunday we witnessed a musical quantum leap at New Hope Family Church. For the first time that I am aware of, we had both a choir and a contemporary rock band to help prepare the atmosphere for worship. Did you enjoy it? Please tell your friends.
The Sunday Service Team will produce a weekly Sunday Worship Service, with local music included, in the gym at New Hope Academy. One of our goals is to continually improve the experience we provide to our community. You, as a member of this congregation, can make a big difference in this process as we grow together in spirit and in truth.
There are many opportunities to contribute to the life of our church, from serving as part of the set up and take down team to becoming an usher or a part of the Hospitality Team (meeting and greeting before and after church). Please contact our Church Secretary, Gay Grow, if you wish to volunteer. Some important areas that can use help are the creation and managing of an Information Table and an After Party for sharing informally with newcomers, making them feel welcome and inviting them to come back again. We will soon start an adult education system for presenting the basics of who we are, what we believe and how to become a member of our church. Stay in touch for that! We now have a small group which meets to study the autobiography of Reverend Moon at 9:00 AM every Sunday in the Founder's Room. And Milhan Stephens offers the Lasting Imprint Seminar in the Korean Room shortly after the main Worship Service.
If you are interested volunteer and to learn more about the vision and the plan, call Pastor Goldberg or Gay Grow.
This mid week letter is one way I, as your Pastor, can share information and a spiritual message with this congregation. This week I want to share something from the teachings of Reverend Moon:
"The more you give the more you receive. God rewards total giving with total love, and total sacrifice with total life. Giving creates room for God's love to enter The more room and the greater the vacuum created by your giving, the faster you will be filled by the flow of God's love."
What is evil? Evil is the emergence of selfishness into this world.
God's principle of unselfish giving was twisted into an ungodly principle of selfish taking. The ungodly position of desiring to be served rather than to serve was thereby established. The origin of evil is Satan. He was in the position to serve God, but instead he posed as another god and subjugated man for his own benefit. God is the absolute positive force in this universe. Then Satan posed as another positive force. Two positives naturally repel each other. Satan is a fallen archangel. He left his position as faithful servant to God and man, and he challenged and competed with God. His motivation was selfishness. Out of his selfishness comes the origin of evil and sin.
All of these actions in the evil world are motivated by selfishness. Evil subjugates others for its own benefit, while good sacrifices itself for the benefit of others.
Since the fall of man, God's work has been the restoration of original goodness. God wants to destroy the world of evil and recreate the world of goodness. We have lost our health. We have become sick people. The salvation of God is, therefore, the restoration of man to a healthy state once again.
Jesus came as a savior, but his teaching was, "... the Son of man came not to be served but to serve ..." (Matt 20:28) Jesus taught that the greatest love in this universe is to give one's life for his enemy. The teaching of the Bible is contrary to the common rule of our worldly society. It is exactly the opposite of the way of this self-centered world. The Bible teaches complete giving and total sacrifice. "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matt 10:39) It seems almost foolish to think seriously about living this way in man's evil society. But once you know God's principle, you discover that there is actually no wisdom greater than this.
Jesus Christ's teachings hit the very core of this fundamental truth. The more you give the more you receive. God rewards total giving with total love, and total sacrifice with total life. Giving creates room for God's love to enter The more room and the greater the vacuum created by your giving, the faster you will be filled by the flow of God's love. To be treated well you must first treat others well. You reap as you sow. Sow evil to reap evil; sow goodness to reap goodness. Your concern should be how to give, and how to give well. As for the return to you, you must trust in God. He will take care of it.
By giving and serving unselfishly this man becomes prosperous. He is a center of harmony and unity because he lives God's principle. Unselfishness brings prosperity. Here is a-good man.
It is universally true. A self-centered doctrine, a self-centered philosophy, a self-centered way of life will fling you head over heels down the tragic road of self-destruction. But if you live your life in service to others, you will find prosperity. It may seem that such a route would lead you to ruin, but it will not. The only reason it may not always bring prosperity to you is because you do not give to the very end. In the middle you suddenly become skeptical. You change your heart or pity yourself and thus shrink from God's law of total giving. The good result never materializes. Total giving is the way of prosperity because it is the way of God.
See you on Sunday,
Pastor Matthew Goldberg and Marianne
Bowie Area Breakfast Club Gathering this Saturday, September 11th from 8:30 -- 10 am at the Holden's, 12613 Chanler Lane, Bowie, MD 20715, 301 352-7975. Please come and share what you've been up to and bring something to share.
Kids' Club is restarting for BC boys and girls ages 7 -11. This is a very fun and interactive group that wants to learn more about developing an intimate and true relationship with God, loving all people as God does, mind and body unity through learning to control our actions and living for the sake of others by doing good deeds and service projects. We sing songs, have a prayer, and I teach a lesson on applying Divine Principle. We do a craft or play a game and then have a snack. Each child should bring a $2 donation to cover our activities. (The $2 should be earned by doing some chores for the parents). We will meet Saturday, September 25th from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Youth Center, 12204 Lisborough Road, Bowie, MD 20720. Please let me know if your child will attend. Mary Holden or Concha Marchitelli.
Friday, Sept. 24 -- Sunday, Sept. 26, at the New Yorker Hotel. Register now!
New Hope Academy is grateful and pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from Rev. In Jin Nim that is ear marked to cover 25% of a BC child's tuition at the school. In addition, a member of the New Hope Board of Directors has matched this grant, so 50% of an eligible family's tuition will be covered. Qualified students in grades K-12th who can demonstrate need are eligible to apply. Students who are academically strong may also qualify for further academic scholarship. Contact Joy Morrow at New Hope Academy ASAP. www.newhopeacademy.org. "Committed to academic excellence, and supporting parents to raise moral children."
Book Party at Greenbelt Outreach Center -- meet, read and chill with us at the New Hope Family Church Office, 7245 Hanover Parkway, Suite A at 7 till 8 pm Friday, Sept 10. Call Doug Burton.
Newly renovated basement rooms for rent with separate entrance, kitchen, living room and bathroom. Located on Good Luck Road in New Carrollton, MD. Down the street from UMD along the metro bus and UMD shuttle route; a couple of minutes from Rt. 50 and Rt. 495. For more information, please call Lan Tsubata.