The Words of the Cotter Family
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The Words of the Cotter Family |
On the weekend of October 25-26, In Jin Nim and her family made their first visit to the Bay Area since her appointment as Chairperson of the American movement and brought tremendous blessing and love to the families of Northern California and Nevada. She flew from New York to San Francisco with her husband, Jin Sung Nim (and their two sons Shin Yul Nim and Shin Pyung Nim), on Saturday morning, and spent a day and a half with us, investing her whole heart, soul, and body into our young people and families, with very little rest. It was an unprecedented and awesome experience for everyone.
In preparation for In Jin Nim’s visit, our families came together to do yard work and housecleaning at True Parents’ house (Shimjung Gardens), which is situated atop a hill in the heart of Berkeley and has a magnificent view of San Francisco. This is where In Jin Nim stayed and where meetings took place throughout the weekend. In addition, we had our “Annual Spruce-Up Day” at the Bay Area Family Church on Saturday. The Principled Academy and Bay Area Family Church turned out in the morning to transform the church inside and out for In Jin Nim’s Sunday Service. It was wonderful to see our families investing so much love (and sweat!) into creating a beautiful environment to welcome In Jin Nim.
In Jin Nim arrived at the Gardens at 3:00 PM on Saturday, where she was welcomed by Dr. and Mrs. Durst and many of our church members. Flowers were presented to In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim by Daniel LeRoy and Chaiah Durst. Then we had a wonderful Korean lunch (prepared by our KEA sisters), hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Durst, Nick Buscovich, Kristina Seher, and some of our church elders. In Jin Nim embraced each person, expressing her gratitude to them for their many years of serving True Parents, and listened intently to Dr. Durst’s heartfelt testimony.
Our Youth Ministry leaders, Dave DuFour, Kwanchai Moriya, Mrs. Annie Steinbronn, and Mrs. Brenna Iredale, organized a sightseeing tour of San Francisco for Shin Yul Nim and Shin Pyung Nim, together with several blessed children of their age. They spent the entire afternoon and evening together.
The plan for that evening was that In Jin Nim could meet with our young adults and high school students at the Gardens and get to know them personally. This was organized by Ritz Yamamoto (our young adult pastor) and Mrs. Myrna Lapres (our youth minister). At 6:30 PM young people began to flock to the Gardens in anticipation of meeting In Jin Nim. We were pleasantly surprised that over 200 showed up, but we were not sure where to put them all! At 7:00 PM, when In Jin Nim came to the room, it was totally packed, with people spilling out into the hallway.
Ritz MCed the program. After a beautiful song by Leighton Lim and Shimmy Cotter, he invited Jin Sung Nim to introduce In Jin Nim. Jin Sung Nim was very warm and personable and testified to his wife’s course and mission with so much love and respect. Because this was a gathering of highly creative young people, he showed the Manhattan Center promo video that In Jin Nim has created to promote “the best kept secret in New York” (which is the Manhattan Center). The video is a very powerful testimony to True Parents and to Hyo Jin Nim. Everyone was blown away by In Jin Nim’s creative ability and by the awesome vision behind and substantial reality of the Manhattan Center.
In Jin Nim sat in a chair and spoke to the young people seated on the floor before her. It was a very intimate setting, and everyone could feel the heart of True Mother coming through her. Though she must have been exhausted from her travel and her impossible schedule, she spoke so deeply from her heart about the importance of the foundation that each of their parents had laid (the First Generation) in giving up everything to follow True Parents and accomplish miracles. She explained that all of that was so that these young people could now pursue and fulfill their dreams and passions and create beautiful families:
What I want to share with young people of the movement is that many of us saw our parents throwing pebbles into a lake every morning, doing Hoon Dok Hae. Maybe some of us wondered what they were doing, whether they were crazy or not. It's not just your parents. My parents did the same thing, too. I strongly feel that we are quickly approaching the "tipping point". That is, every pebble your parents threw into that lake didn’t show anything for years, but then, one day, one pebble broke through the surface of the lake. It did so because countless other pebbles were thrown there by our parents. This is what is taking place right now.
She seemed to be able to understand each person’s heart: that there were some who were very involved in our church and others who were searching to find themselves in other ways. She was not trying to force everyone into the same mold, but she respected who everyone was while acknowledging that each one of them was “handpicked and handcrafted by God” for greatness.
Rev. and Mrs. Jenkins arrived at around 8:00 PM, fresh from the Global Peace Festival event in Chicago. We were blessed to have them both with us throughout the weekend.
By the time In Jin Nim concluded, it was about 8:45 PM. To everyone’s surprise, In Jin Nim said, “Now I would like to meet all of you. Please tell me who you are, what are your dreams and goals, and how you think we should change our church!” It was hard to believe that she was going to take the time to listen to each of the over 200 people in that room, but that is exactly what she did!
We formed a line around the room and, one by one, all who were there had a chance to introduce themselves to In Jin Nim and express their heart. It was absolutely unprecedented and incredible to see! There were young people there from all backgrounds and interests, some of whom I had rarely or never seen before, pouring out their hearts and aspirations to someone who was genuinely interested in who they were and what they wanted to become. The amount of creativity and genius in that room was staggering; it felt as if we had been transported to some magical place. One young sister said, “Here on the West Coast we never see True Parents or True Family. This is just so unbelievable that you would take the time to get to know each one of us!”
In Jin Nim, throughout the night, treated all the Blessed Children (and everyone there) as members of her own family and never lost interest in their sharing. She had a true motherly heart the whole time, loving each person for who they are, not what she wants them to be. When one single mother expressed her difficulties in her situation, In Jin Nim encouraged her to focus on being a good mother rather than worrying about "external church work." Likely, this night will remain in the memories of many for a long time because of In Jin Nim's sincere investment.
It went on until 11:00 PM, with In Jin Nim having give and take with each person on a personal level; she seemed to be getting more energy and inspiration as the night wore on. Finally, the last person (Wade Hampton, the cameraman) had his turn. We concluded with a prayer and then everyone stayed to greet and meet In Jin Nim. She did not disappear into her room, although no one would have blamed her if she had. Instead, she stayed on, talking with them all and pouring out her love. When things gradually quieted down, In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim had a bowl of noodles and then retired to their room, some time after midnight.
Sunday morning at 5:00 AM, In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim gathered in the living room for Hoon Dok Hae with Second Generation couples and their children and First Generation families under age 40. After reading Peace Message 13 together, Jin Sung Nim again introduced In Jin Nim to the families. He shared about the incredible recent developments at the Manhattan Center since In Jin Nim has taken charge there, and then he showed the Manhattan Center video.
In Jin Nim started speaking to the couples. She said, Father calls America the Elder Son Nation. I hope that if I work with members and do my job at Manhattan Center and at HSA, that we can make the world realize how great True Parents are. When I see our True Parents, of course I love them deeply. True Parents have always talked about true love, and I have been thinking about what is true love. We define true love as living for the sake of others. But I am a firm believer that living for the sake of others starts with living. You have to live yourself first in order to really take care of somebody else. The first generation died for the sake of others, for the sake of their leader and their spouses. What I would like to do is to let everybody know that it's OK to breathe, to live, to get great jobs. We need to understand the phrase "living for the sake of others."
Then she gave the couples guidance for their marriage. Actually, she shared with them the advice that Father had given her about maintaining a close relationship between husband and wife.
The first point was about the importance of bowing (kyung bae) to one another in gratitude to God and to each other. Husband and wife should bow to each other, and children should bow to their parents every day. This is a daily reminder not to scream at, fight with or hurt one’s spouse or children but to honor them as a vessel of God. She explained that she counsels her friends (who are not church members) to try this simple practice and that it helps their marriages.
Father’s second point is never to go to bed angry with each other. Try to finish everything before going to bed and before God. And never fight in front of your children!
And third, blessed children should get the best education; but the best education begins at home. Discipline your children and teach them the heavenly way. Don’t be their friend; be their parent. And find their passion; the mother has to be like a “casting director” to find out which way each of their children should go.
After this great advice, In Jin Nim met with the families over a buffet, scrambled-eggs breakfast, prepared by Mary Larson and Audrey Dishman. Fantastic!
Our whole district (Northern California and Nevada) was invited to attend the Sunday Service at the Bay Area Family Church, where In Jin Nim was scheduled to give the sermon. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and at 9:30 AM people started arriving at the church from Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento, Fresno, and the Bay Area. An art exhibit was set up in the church lobby, displaying various works of art from our members. The church parking lot and play area were converted into a picnic area for the after-service lunch.
By 10:00 AM, the main sanctuary was overflowing with 400 people, and the upstairs dining area was jammed with over 200 more, who could view the service by video. The Bay Area Family Church worship band started playing at 10:15 and brought down the Holy Spirit as everyone on both floors was singing and clapping. At 10:30 In Jin Nim and her family and Rev. and Mrs. Jenkins came in, and the congregation erupted in applause. The spirit was so high as we sang, “Love the Lord Your God” and then “Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone”. Rev. Cotter read the scripture (Ephesians 4:11-16) and then introduced In Jin Nim to give the sermon.
In Jin Nim spoke so beautifully from her heart for more than an hour. We felt as if the heart of True Mother was washing over us in that place. There were many tears throughout her sermon. She began by saying how much True Parents loved the First Generation and the nation of America, which they named the Elder Son Nation. She acknowledged the great foundation of Dr. and Mrs. Durst, who were seated in the front pew, and other great elders in the American movement.
She said, Just as I made the kind of branding promo for Manhattan Center, which was a process of dusting off the diamond in the rough, I want to re-brand our movement to show the world the best-kept secret. Dr. Durst's hair loss does not matter. His heart of true love is incredible. When I see Dr. Durst, I see what we could have been. We need to take care of one another. We need to lessen the walls between the First and Second Generations. We need to invite people into our community. We are preaching "One Family Under God," but we need to live it. I say to the Blessed Children who might be struggling, “Regardless of whether you go the rebellious route or the obedient route, you will never stop being a Blessed Child.”
Throughout her sermon In Jin Nim expressed many profound points about True Parents, True Family, and God’s providence; but she always brought the focus back to our primary responsibility of raising beautiful children and creating ideal families that can be a natural witness to others. She concluded in this way: “I feel like this is an incredible time. It's truly an honor to work with you. As I try my best to work with leaders at Headquarters, I'm going to dream big. The lasting changes are the ones that we make a step at a time. Raising kids may not be exciting, but if you do it well, then your kids will be successful We should thank God for giving us to each other. Our children are the most precious assets that we have to take care of.”
Rev. Cotter, together with his wife, offered a tearful prayer of gratitude and repentance. The congregation sang, “You Raise Me Up” for the offering song, which seemed like the perfect choice. Rev. and Mrs. Michael Jenkins came to the stage for the benediction and Rev. Jenkins offered a determined prayer of resolution.
After a brief intermission, we gathered back together for an hour of great entertainment, hosted by Jared Howard and Hannah Van Loon. The San Francisco Sun Hak Choir performed first, an all-girl choir directed by Lionel Chapital and Kinuyo Denni. Then Wendy Fiala, Jeanina Hardman and Hannah Van Loom performed Sons and Daughters, followed by Mark Denni’s classical guitar. Our Japanese Women’s Choir sang A Thousand Winds, accompanied by Jenny Hughes on piano. Jenny then played a solo piano piece, You Belong to Me, followed by the Herradura children singing Celine Dion’s That’s the Way it is. Shimmy Cotter played piano and sang her original song, Drivin’, accompanied by her father on guitar. Finally, a 2 nd Gen band consisting of Leighton and Chunee Lim, Shimmy Cotter, Josh Frumin and Soki Hagiwara performed Existentialism on Prom Night and Reptilia to wrap it up in a powerful way.
When In Jin Nim’s family came to the stage, Liam Carmody and Emma Iredale presented flowers to them and they were joined on stage by Reverend and Mrs. Jenkins and Dr. and Mrs. Durst for the celebration cake cutting. Ken Owens helped everyone organize in front of the church for a group picture with In Jin Nim’s family.
All of the families had a picnic lunch outside in the beautiful California sunshine. A tent was set up where In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim had lunch together with the youth ministry team and young adult leaders, as well as Reverend and Mrs. Jenkins, the Dursts, and Rev. Bill Starr, state leader of Nevada. After lunch, the youth ministry leaders and Second Generation kids took Shin Yul Nim and Shin Pyung Nim on a second outing.
After lunch, Dr. Durst, Kristina Seher, Annie Steinbronn, Poppy Richie, Myrna Lapres, Brenna Iredale, and Mrs. Cotter took In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim on a tour of Principled Academy, visiting many classrooms. In Jin Nim was very inspired to see the development of this model school, which is known throughout the Bay Area (and the world!) for its character education and excellent standards.
Finally, In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim went back into the sanctuary to greet each family and take pictures with them. By now, it was almost 3:00 PM. The families made a line that stretched out the door into the lobby and beyond. In Jin Nim met each husband and wife and child, asking all their names and taking time to get to know them and take pictures together. The families were so inspired by her loving example and grateful to have the chance to personally meet In Jin Nim. The entire Sacramento Valley Family Church, pastored by Rev. and Mrs. Charles DeWatteville, posed together with In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim. In Jin Nim stayed until the last person went through the line.
We returned to the Gardens for a final dinner, where 25 of our ministry and department leaders gathered to share with In Jin Nim. Reverend Starr from Nevada and Reverend and Mrs. DeWatteville also attended. Once again, In Jin Nim poured out her heart, giving love and guidance and listening to brothers and sisters. Even though she should have been allowed to rest before her overnight flight, we were all so grateful that In Jin Nim chose to share these final few moments with us.
At 8:00 PM, they rushed to their room to pack, gathered up their two sons, and we drove them off to the San Francisco airport. We didn’t want to let them go, so we stayed together until they disappeared in the security line, with Jin Sung Nim’s words, “We love you!” ringing in our ears.
All of our families in District 11 want to express our deepest love and gratitude for the chance to spend this weekend with In Jin Nim and her family. We look forward to their returning soon!
Photo by Ken Owens