Rev. (Won Pil) Kim came back from the West Coast, and then left again today for Washington D.C. He will be visiting the major North East cities, and will be gone for about a week to 10 days. He expects that in his absence, we will try to accomplish the goals that Father has given us. Please give a testimony or a report which will be something of value for the others gathered here. If there is any members who have broken through, please let us hear about them.

Bento Leal:

The other night we had a children's meeting, actually it was a regular adults meeting, but they brought their children and it really turned into an interesting evening. The kids enjoyed the Divine Principle even more than their parents, and this really inspired the parents. The parents of these children will eventually come to a workshop. There is one brother in our center, who worked for other areas in our church but was eventually sent to come witnessing here in New Jersey. This brother was having such difficulty breaking through in his Home Church area, for such a long time. Then this brother met a very wonderful family, and now it not only inspires him, but it has brought new life to our entire center. We are all so grateful that this brother persevered and could breakthrough.

Richard Cohen:

I would like to report about the basic internal changes that have been happing in our department, the World Mission Center House Staff. Basically it is hard for our members to get out and do Home Church because of the responsibility that we have for the building. If we go away, the house could fall apart. Recently our members have been sincerely trying to adopt an attitude of family, and a real feeling for Home Church. There is definitely a change, and the members are generally feeling more inspired about their work, and also about the Providence.

Larry Moffit:

The Circulation and Distribution brothers that are in my group have such a rigorous schedule. They get worn down spiritually. Finally for 3 days, Rev. Kim spoke with the brothers, 3 hours every day. Then, on Saturday we all met at one of our Home Churches. Rev. Kim spoke to us about Father's life, and a special "sisters team" that formed took the opportunity to serve us by cooking a very nice meal. Now I must capture this enthusiasm and keep it burning in the hearts of the members. Rev. Kim's advice was very simple and very practical for the members to relate to. Therefore, these people who didn't have any hope are feeling hope now.

Dr. Bergman:

These are the contents of a meeting that Rev. Kim had today with the News World IW's (Itinerant Workers). I would like to share these contents with you tonight.

When Rev. Kim came here in mid-September, he had the responsibility for the Home Church activities for this New York area. But after visiting all of the departments, he came to the conclusion that the spiritual capacity of the members was not really enough to do Home Church, and even it was a burden to accomplish their own mission alone. This idea of Home Church came as a burden instead of the blessing that it really is. There were some members who had not been to workshop for several years, and even some of the leaders too. The members were not receiving loving care from their central figures.

Therefore, Rev. Kim was amazed, that all in all, these members could continue. He came to the conclusion, that Father's incredibly deep love for the members here in United States and especially in New York was the reason why members could hang on. It was the depth of heart of our True Parents that was keeping these members alive spiritually.

So Rev. Kim wanted to renew the faith of the members in NY, so that they could begin to do Home Church. Then he began to educate the leaders. The leader's position is so serious. If the leader is a failure, he must pay the price and carry the burden of indemnity for all of his members. So if the leader has 10 members, he must carry the indemnity for 10 members. In the same way, if he succeeds, the blessing that he receives is like that of 10 times the amount of members that he has under him. So it is either an incredible blessing for the leader, or a great burden. An easy way to illustrate this point is to imagine a general. If a general is not able to lead his soldiers well, then the soldiers will all die. The leaders have the same responsibility for the lives of their members. When Father goes to speak before a large group, sometimes he is so serious, almost as if he is going before a firing squad.

Sometimes we feel that because Father has given us the mission of Abel, then we have all the authority over the members. This idea is actually not correct. Father gives us a large percentage, say 95% of this authority if we are connected to him. But another important percentage is what comes from the members themselves. We live in a society where we have given the authority to make decisions to someone else besides ourselves. In the worldly life, everyone is responsible to make their own choices. But we here in the Unification Church have chosen to give this authority to our central figure. So the leader must be in a position to be supported and recognized by Father, and by his members. He cannot rely on only his connection to Father and not care about the members. Sometimes we are too soft on the members and later they will accuse us for not pushing them to do God's will. This is not the parental kind of heart, this is not recognized by Father. The mission of the leader is to sacrifice for your members so that their will and Father's will is one. The leader must be the binding force between Father and his members will. Centered on God's desire, he must make the members' desire one with his. This is done by setting the example for the members to follow.

Members join the Unification Church because they want to sacrifice, but they lose their desire on the way because they are not treated well. The more we can push or pull them by our own example, they more they will feel eventually grateful. If we are too soft, they will be happy now but they will accuse you later if they could not fulfill. Father will replace Rev. Kim if the leaders of this meeting don't fulfill. The leaders are deciding the destiny of Rev. Kim in the same way that your members will decide your destiny.

Father will listen to your report, but he will listen with even more intensity to the words of your members. Therefore if you need to get advice, ask for it! Even your own central figure is so busy, if you really need the advice press him for time to speak with you. You must admit to your heart that your cannot get by without his advice, then prepare your heart to receive it.

Sometimes we scold our members out of frustration, we are really depending on our members to fulfill their mission. Often when they cannot fulfill it, we respond in two ways: We get discouraged and frustrated, or we get angry at them. This is because we are expecting them to get the results. Actually we as the leaders, must take the responsibility for the success, don't depend entirely on your members ability. We can trust their sincerity to fulfill, but we should not expect good results from them. If there is no fulfillment, don't get discouraged. You should jump in and help them; if you still can't figure out their problem, then you yourself should ask advice. Then you personally can set the example for them.

If you cannot help them, by your own example, you seek advice from your own Abel, and he jumps into the problem, helps all of you and you are all united instead of being all separate.

When Father scolds a member, he often cries for them because he wants to forgive them. But we don't have such a heart. After we scold someone, we don't think more about it. This is such a difference with Father. We tend to ventilate our frustration on the members at the time, and then it is much later that we think of even forgiving them. Father forgives us, even before he scolds us. The important point is to understand what is expected from us, then try to do it and then either report the results, or ask advice.

This was the failure of Adam and Eve, they didn't check Lucifer's direction to them with Heavenly Father. They themselves couldn't judge from their own viewpoint, so they should have reported it to Heavenly Father. This is why they failed. In the same way, many leaders are not sending their reports to the 9:00 meetings. The major leaders of the New York area should be constantly striving to improve themselves, to develop their characters. Each leader should spend at time with at least 5 members a day, and discuss their problems. The ideal relationship between Leader and member is not necessarily the Cain and Abel relationship, but that of Parent and Child.

It is important to think of God's Will first. We should never give our own family priority in our mind. Jesus said that all these family relationships must be sacrificed for his sake. If we put our families in this sacrificial position, then God and True Parents must take responsibility for them.

Another very important point is that we must develop deep relationships with other members so that it will be impossible to sever them and we could never leave the family. There is one example, imagine a spider who climbed far up into the tree and fell off. He tumbled to the ground and died. But if the spider had spun a web, formed out of many threads, he would have been saved by it. Our emotion and loving relationships within this family as brothers and sisters, are the web that might eventually save us. We must protect each other and sacrifice and serve one another.

If there is someone who sacrifices for us during our moments of difficulty, we will never forget that person. We need heartistic relationships, we are not a business. You should be able to freely talk with anyone about ideas to fulfill the will of God.

Learn from the outside world, they have been discovering useful methods of organization and action, although the direction and motivation has been wrong. Rev. Kim even says that he learns from new members. The problem is that the more determined we are, the more Satan will try to take notice. As leaders, this is where our problems often come from. If you aren't doing anything, Satan can take a nap. When you advance, then Satan will try to oppose you. You always have to remember the attitude of Joshua and Caleb. They were the positive ones, even when others were not so positive. You therefore, must look for the Joshua and Caleb in your department who can positively testify to you, and your ideas. You can work with them to try to influence the others who cannot see so clearly.

Since Home Church is a very decentralized mission you members have been taking personal responsibility to work in their areas. We have over 40 different departments in the New York area. But our greatest power will come from, unity. So we have to really work to establish certain points of unity for the whole area. One example of this is the Monday night leaders assembly. If the leadership is not united, how can the members feel unity? World of Hope festival, and Sunday Service, the weekend workshop etc. are other points of unity for this New York area. So far, we have been especially encouraging the workshop. We will arrange for you to be able to schedule your members to workshops, including yourself. Send at least one member at a time. We can then cycle everyone through the weekend workshop during the next weeks.

The World of Hope festival will continue every other week, but if your members would prefer to be in their area, they don't have to come without a guest. The members who are working in Manhattan can come, as a point of unity. All departments should be willing to provide the staff that is needed. The Sunday service at 11:00 is something more to consider, and Rev. Kim has a very definite opinion on it. It is a tradition of the Unification Church, not just a witnessing program. If you want to attend a local center for Church service, it is okay. If you do not attend at another center, you should come here to the World Mission Center. It is a spiritual problem For the members who feel that it is not necessary; even though they have heard the Belevedere sermon already, they should attend here. Whether we have a guest, or not, we need family unity. Please make a list of those who show a good deal of interest and are actively working in their Home Church areas. A special committee or group can be formed from these people.

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