Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

  Hometown Activities

As of September 1, 1991, Reverend Moon instructed that all blessed families of the Unification Church should go back to their hometowns. Its significance was in encouraging the members to return to their homes and fulfill the responsibility of restoring their families and relatives. Since the Home Church movement was declared in 1978, the mission to restore the ?˜tribe' as an aggregation of one's family and relatives had now been given.

On August 27, a few days before this was announced, Reverend Moon spoke at a special meeting of the Tong-II Group leaders. He stated that the mission of the tribal messiah was to attain three major ideals: to fulfill the role of true parents in the community, that of true teacher, and of true owner. It meant that blessed families were to play a central role in their respective communities; furthermore, that they should become the messiah of their tribe. Thus began an exodus of blessed families throughout the country, and meetings and declarations of tribal messiahship took place one after another.