Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

1980 - Home Church is the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven

"From the viewpoint of the Unification Church, the unforgettable 1970s have just ended, and we face the new and hopeful 1980s. In the Principle, ??' is the number of a new beginning and an indicator of new  hope.

In greeting the 1980s, what should the Unification Church and the members aim for, and in which direction should they go? We must begin full-scale Home Church activities from this year on. It is God's will that, when the third seven-year course is over, the church will completely develop into the Home Church system.

The reason we need to spend this year under the motto Home Church is the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven is that Home Church is the foundation for the heavenly kingdom and because that kingdom cannot be established without Home Church."

From the perspective of the Unification Church, the 1960s was the period of expanding the foundation, and the 1970s was the time of consolidating the worldwide foundation. In his speech, Reverend Moon implied that the 1980s were to be years when it was expected that members, on the basis of previous effort and accomplishment and the accumulated foundation of the 197s, would bring the church into grater maturity and participate in the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven through concrete missionary practice, namely Home Church.

"Home Church is the base of the Kingdom of Heaven. What is that base? There is a base for launching artificial satellites in Cape Kennedy. You come under the head of the rocket. All 360 homes have to become the rocket. And then you get on the rocket and take off, riding on the rocket. Imagine that you are flying with 360 houses behind you. How wonderful that is! The rocket is flying toward the moon. This symbolizes that the Unification Church must build a Home Church rocket and take off."

Reverend Moon explained the meaning of the motto through the above statement and urged members to enthusiastically take part in Home Church activities.

Because the 1980s was the decade during which Reverend Moon celebrated his sixtieth birthday and also the period when the three seven-year courses came to their conclusion, and another three seven-year course, that the children were to pass through, began, the 1980s were to be a decade of even greater significance.

Reverend Moon addressed the strategy of missionary work and illustrated his vision for the 1980s through a nationwide leaders meeting in February, 1980, and a worldwide leaders conference (to which one hundred nations sent representatives) on February 23. Members of the Unification Church worldwide went forward in the spirit of unity, determining to bring victory in Home Church activity.

Church president Young-whi Kim made anew year's tour of the regions from January 7 to 25, and World Missions director Chung-hwan Kwak visited various mission countries from January 15 to February 7.

Celebrations marking Reverend Moon's sixtieth birthday were held, not only in America, but worldwide. In the United States, the birthday celebrations were held in the Grand Ballroom of the World Mission Center (New Yorker Hotel) on February 21, before Reverend and Mrs. Moon, while representatives from one hundred nations together with two thousand core members participated. In Korea, the church held a service to commemorate Reverend Moon's birthday, and a speech contest and musical contest were held among the district churches in celebration.

Training for witnessing teams to be made up of members already engaged by Reverend Moon, was held on four occasions from February 1 to March 7. The church held Principle workshops for blessed couples in the churches in Seoul and the provincial districts, from March 24 to June 28. The year's programs also included training for church leaders, a Sung Hwa alumni meeting, a national meeting of the Sung Hwa Youth Association, a general meeting of the Sung Hwa Students Association, training for Sunday school teachers, and training for Sung Hwa student leaders. These training programs and meetings were organized to inspire a sense of mission in those attending, and to contribute to the development of the church.

A summer witnessing drive, mobilizing all the blessed wives, was carried out throughout the country for forty days from July 20, and rallies to strengthen unity for national security were held in fifteen locations from April 14 to September 6. These rallies were organized to help thwart, in advance, any North Korean communist plan for an invasion of the South, taking advantage of nationwide insecurity following the "October 26 Incident" [the assassination of President Chung-Hee Park] of the previous year, by educating and guiding the citizens. It was also in keeping with the providence of God that it be accomplished through Korea.

Meanwhile, Reverend and Mrs. Moon returned to Korea. Their busy schedule included visits to church-related business ventures, participating in a VOC seminar for the IFVOC National Advisory Committee chairmen on November 1, and in a banquet in their honor sponsored by the Supra-denominational Christian Association, and presiding over a leaders meeting. Reverend and Mrs. Moon flew back to the United States on November 21, having stayed in Korea for thirty-six days during which time Reverend Moon showed special interest in VOC and witnessing activities.

During the year, the church distributed 200,000 copies of The Sermons of Reverend Sun Myung Moon with the support of the Sung Hwa Publishing Company.

Notable events this year included:

March 10: Separation of the Pusan Church from the South Kyungsang Provincial Church    Region.

April 22: Publication of the Spanish-language newspaper Noticias del Mundo began.

April: Publication of Today's World began.

June 6: Second general meeting of the Sung Hwa Students Association.

July 4 -18: First International Unification Thought Seminar.

November 2: Ceremony for the Total Dissolution of Resentment.

December 18: Masaki Sasamoto, missionary to Tanzania, martyred.