The Words of the Seuk Family
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The Words of the Seuk Family |
Sent by Hyung-jin nim as a special envoy, Dr. Seuk Joon-ho, vice-president of the World Mission Headquarters, visited six nations in Europe from August 13 to 20. These were Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, embracing both European regions. One purpose of the tour was to inspire all blessed families to make a new beginning through inheriting the victorious foundation of True Parents who were resurrected through the helicopter incident. In that light, the tour's main theme was "Revolutionizing the Worldwide Churches and Opening a New Renaissance in Witnessing through Sincere Devotion and True Love." [Dr. Seuk arrived in Europe bearing a letter from Hyung-jin nim appointing Dr. Song Yong-cheol regional president of Europe 1 and 2. Dr. Pak Joong-hymn, who had been leading region Europe 2, is in Korea for health reasons.]
Good day to you all!
I have come here to offer you my prayer and my heart. As you know, Hyung-jin nim is investing his whole heart and prayer not only for the Korean movement but also for our movement all over the world. In sending me to Europe, he wishes to convey his appreciation to you for your hard work; He is offering prayers for you, for your region and for all leaders and other members.
When I arrived at Hyung-jin nim's humble office for my appointment the day before I left for Europe, I could hear many people laughing. I thought that perhaps his whole family had come and they were having a big party. But it was an interview with magazine reporters! It was such a joyful, friendly meeting. Recently there has been a lot of media coverage of "the youngest son inheriting the mission." Hyung-jin nim has made a good impression on the media, and positive articles have resulted. They are inspired by his humility and purity. You cannot find anyone else like him in Korea -- a pure young person, with a deep heart and deep mind, respectful of all religions.
When I was able to meet Hyung-jin nim, he asked me to convey his greetings and love to you. The first generation went through great hardship; he appreciates that deeply. Father has given us a specific goal -- to establish Cheon Il Guk by January 13, 2013. That gives us only four years and four months. This calls for great urgency That is why True Parents are pushing seriously ceaselessly, at the risk of their lives, valuing each day as a thousand years.
How can Cheon Il Guk be established? The culture of heart, centered on God and True Parents' tradition, should be globalized. The Principle is the backbone of ethical and moral principles. It should be reflected in the national laws, in the constitutions of nations. Fundamentally, Cheon Il Guk can be accomplished through the blessing, the change of blood lineage.
Father created many different organizations, but what are the two most important pillars? One is the Family Federation (FFUWP) and the other is the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). They coordinate, support and help each other. Even though the goals of UPF and of the Family Federation seem different, they are both seeking to give proper education and inspire people to commit themselves. They should see balanced development.
You may be confused between Hyun-jin nim, chairman of UPF, and Hyung-jin nim, president of the Family Federation. Their names are similar, and they are very similar in heart! There is no conflict. "Hyun" means "manifestation." God's power is manifested through Hyun-jin nim. "Hyung" means "everything is going well."
Our fundamental activities are revival of all members' spirit and faith, and making new family members, which means evangelizing. Hyung-jin nim and Kook-jin nim want to create a new culture in our movement.
We are living in a new era of settlement, complete freedom and liberation, so we must establish a new culture of trust and forgiveness. We must foster openness and transparency with honest reporting and relationships. Society will then begin to see our church as healthy, ethical, transparent and strong.
Kook-jin nim visited a hundred and twenty churches in Korea and talked with the members. Many had lost faith, or their spirits had become dry. Maybe this is true in other places too. If Heavenly Father has assigned you as a national leader, you must first revive members' spirit and faith, so that they pick up the real sense of being an owner of Cheon Il Guk.
Second, you should find new members. Throughout our lives, we have contacted many people, among our relatives and in our community. Through our UPF activity and at conferences and rallies, we may have brought so many people, but we must guide people toward becoming God's sons and daughters with eternal life. So we will usher in a new era, a renaissance of witnessing, transforming our church throughout the world.
Father asked Hyung-jin nim to be a model that all members and leaders around the world can follow. Father gave him the goal of having twenty thousand members in the Korean Headquarters Church by the end of 2010.
When Hyung-jin nim moved to the Headquarters Church (which seats five hundred) in early December last year, usually only half of the chapel was full, or at most three hundred and fifty members came. Now the congregation has increased to approximately three thousand. That is an increase of ten times in just eight months. The church cannot accommodate all of them at once, so Hyung-jin nim holds six services a week-four on Sunday and one on Wednesday evening in Korean, plus one on Saturday for English speaking members and guests. He says the Korean Headquarters Church is also the headquarters church for the world.
Hyung-jin nim selects families by lottery and visits them. He speaks and a commemorative photo is taken with each family. Additionally, he is visiting Japan almost every month, encouraging our members who are working so hard there.
Hyung-jin nim's schedule is very full. Even preparing a Sunday sermon and giving it once a week is very tough. He has six services a week, plus meetings, plus setting the special conditions that require him to be up at two o'clock in the morning. Hyung-jin nim is also meeting with many leaders and other members, individually and in groups; reporters come, and he visits other religious leaders in the cause of inter-religious harmony.
In addition to all this, his responsibility as church president means he has to give the final seal of approval for all proposals and decisions, including financial matters. He is the top leader of the Korean church, and of the worldwide movement. So many people are waiting to see him to receive his approval for their projects. Although he really wants to come to Europe to see you, it has not been possible yet.
Every day Hyung-jin nim is setting conditions; for instance, he offers a hundred and twenty bows a day. That is not easy. He wakes up at two o'clock in the morning, comes to the headquarters by two thirty and prepares himself. At three o'clock, he starts the bows. I sometimes attend his kyung-bae condition. It is a very tough condition, physically. All my muscles ache! I am a person of retirement age. [Laughter]
Actually, I don't have many opportunities to attend Hyung-jin nim's jeong seong condition, because I need to go to Cheon Jeong Peace Palace every morning for Hoon Dok Hae. My home is far from there, so I have to leave by three o'clock. But when Father is away from Seoul, I sometimes attend Hyung-jin nim's condition. It is amazing how he can do these conditions every day -- not just for one month, or two months -- but over many years. He can because he feels the power and support of those in the spirit world. Not only does he feel that but he experiences it. They are supporting him. That is why he has such power to continue making these conditions. He feels and experiences the spirit world in his daily life. He emphasizes that all members, particularly leaders, must make the jeong seong conditions, so that they can mobilize more blessing. The fundamental principles of Hyung-jin nim's ministry are sincere devotion and true love.
Leaders, we should go back to our starting point, to recapture the attitude we had when we joined our movement, when we found the ultimate truth and said we would dedicate our lives. As time passed, we lost that original purity of heart and became prideful. Hyung-jin nim and Kook-jin nim emphasize that leaders must serve their fellow members from a humble position. Leaders must become a bridge connecting our members to True Parents.
At the time of the helicopter accident, God and the spirit world worked many miracles. But there was one miracle that was man-made: although there was the danger of explosion, at such a critical moment, with one heart, one mind, all those aboard the helicopter saved True Father and Mother, the grandchildren, and each other. This was because of love. Everyone got out within seven minutes. This is the power of Unification Church faith. The lesson is that we must unite together. Then we can overcome any difficult situation. Once we unite centered on True Parents, we can overcome any kind of adversity; even death.
Father had been hanging in the air as if he were hanging on the cross. Jesus was crucified, and he resurrected spiritually. All his disciples had betrayed him and left him. True Parents, however, resurrected physically and spiritually.
This is a new beginning for our movement. We are part of True Parents family, and Father's crucifixion means that we -- all blessed families -- were crucified together with True Parents. We entered the door of death together with True Parents when the helicopter crashed. We almost went to the spirit world together with True Parents. But we were saved.
So we have new life now Every person has new life. Every family is a new family. Our church is a new church from now on. Heavenly Father resurrected True Parents spiritually and physically. Thus we should repent, and our movement should now have a great awakening and make a new start.