The Words of the Lamson Family |
My mind is still Las Vegas. I spent 4 years working side by side with True Parents in Las Vegas. Fathers house here was originally owned by man from England. Dr. Pak initiated Fathers Autobiography distribution in Korea and he was then asked to do the same thing to Las Vegas. Now over 170,000 autobiographies have been given out in Las Vegas.
There is Crisis and Opportunity after True Fathers ascension. In the process we are paying a price as we transition. I would put more focus on opportunity. Many religions, after the Founder dies grow faster, become more mainline and prosper. Father's ascension, also creates a good deal of suffering in house (within our movement) and we need collective wisdom to pass through these difficult challenges.
We can and we will overcome and move forward.
Meaning of Foundation Day:
1) Grand conclusion of restoration era
2) New age, launching of True Mother mission – True Mother is CEO of our movement
3) Starting point of Cheon Il Guk, establishing Gods land
4) Tribal Messiah mission will be the central focus driving the new providence.
There were 25 different events during Foundation Day:
Re-Unification of Korea, Day of Hope- 25,000 refugees from North Korea -- we are educating them to prepare for Re-Unification. Invited 100 couples and gave them Blessings, Mothers Midnight Prayer, Holy Wine ceremony-Final grace from True Parents, Cheon Il Guk-matching of 142 couples (Mother very careful-listened and respected each person's feelings and opinions), UPF Conference, International Leaders Meeting, Little Angels performance, Universal Ballet performance are a few examples.
The Holy Wine Ceremony cleaned everyone in preparation for Foundation Day and the Blessing.
Every year there will be a Cheon Il Guk Standard Matching and Blessing around Foundation Day
Every two year we will organize a World Summit for world leaders
Dr. Yang shared that he struggled in the past with Dae Mo Nim and many of her decisions. He did not understand why she had to build a top level stadium or a hospital on top of the mountain. He often criticized her decisions. After Fathers passing he now sees and values how much Dae Mo Nim and Heung Jin Nim are attending from sprit world. He shared how he always feel like he is entering spirit world when he visits the palace now. In 1978 Father called all the leaders to Chung Pyung and walked with them up the mountain where the place now stands. He asked them to clear the trees and prepare a place for 2,000 people to gather. At this gathering Father explained his vision and said that one day a temple would be built on this spot. No one at that time could imagine this would take place but Dae Mo Nim made this dream a reality.
Our church in Korea is recognized as the most culturally diverse church in Korea with the most inter-racial couples. There are over 10,000 international, interracial couples in Korea and we created an organization for them.
Mother called all National Messiahs and Senior couples to come back home and join with her for the 2020 project.
Mother approved scholarships for 750 students and donated 4 million dollars into a scholarship fund for 2nd Gen.
On July 17, 2011 Father launched the Sun Myung Moon International Peace Foundation following the Carnegie and Noble models. Mother announced special Peace Prize called the Sun Hak Prize from Father and Mother.
True Mother was very involved in developing the Foundation Day Stage. Rose is symbol of Father. Lily of Mother. Foundation Day bigger launching. 17 people working 28 hours. Theme of stage. Garden of Heaven, Spring Garden of Heaven. Small pond. 30 goldfish on each side. Cherry blossoms.
Mother picked yhr back drop. Hyung Jin and Kwon Jin Nim presented Heavenly Parents seal and True Parents seal. Scepter presented by Hyung Jin Nim's oldest son. Crown and robe the authority of Heavenly Parent
True Parents prepared 3,600 Cheon Il Guk Awards. This year 1,200 awards were given out to mostly elder members and members that have accomplished much. Next year during the Foundation Day anniversary another 1,200 awards will be given based solely on bringing results.
True Mother has been invited by many Heads of State to visit their countries. She gave the direction that Fathers plane should be returned so that she can use it to travel to the different countries.
In 2020 Mother will be 77 and Father will be 100 years old.
Special instructions were given that every nation should make a 7 year plan. True Mother will receive reports directly every six months and evaluate.
True Mother will directly lead this providence.
True Mother will directly lead Korea, America and Japan
True Mother's daily schedule: Hoon Dok Hae, 6:30 am visit Father burial place, 7 am meeting leaders for two hours. True Mother wants to hear reports from around the world and know how we are doing. Please send your reports to Bishop Kim or Dr. Balcomb so that True Mother …
True Mother is really focused on America. Washington Times is under the HSA umbrella. We need break though in 3 years the Washington Times will turn around and become at least break even or it will be sold. Let us encourage Dr. Jenkins as this is one of his responsibilities.
Things before Foundation Day are completely different after Foundation Day. Everything will now be driven by Tribal Messiahship. Home church providence started in America but Fathers expectations were not met. Why did we fail? We need to understand.
In Korea 50% of the regional leaders have been changed and the best potential leaders were chosen. There are now four 2nd Gen Regional Directors. New leaders around the world are younger and well trained. We need to restructure and reorganize so that our movement can work well in this new providence if we want to grow our movement and become Main stream in America.
In the last UPF conference almost no leaders received honorariums. The UPF foundation with world leaders is bringing fruit. Rev. Hong worked under Dr. Walsh to reach out to Heads of State and it many responded. Building Foundation is very important. Our American movement needs to be more serious.
Dr. Lek Thaveetermasul the President of FFWPU Thailand blessed 650 couples. In Thailand he could do this and he has helped other couples complete the 430 couples for Tribal Messiahship. The Philippines just held a 13,000 couple blessing. Recently, 50,000 couples in Philippines were blessed. They will make 1 million member church in 1 year. This is different than before. Spirit world is open and working hard to support.
Each nation should develop a plan for 2020 based on goals set for 2013-2015-2017-2019.
In 392 Rome Christianity became a national religion with 17% of the population becoming Christians. Our movement in Korea needs to have 3.5 million members (7% of the population) to be able to shape and change the nation. When Christianity reached 7% it became National Religion in Korea. If we could build our Korean church to 3.5 million we could influence entire nation. Many people say we are heretics. I emphasized we are a "religion of life".
After Fathers Seunghwa many people in Korea were asking and looking to see what we would do. When we organized the blessing and all the related events reporters came from everywhere. There were many positive reports in media. That much Asia is changing.
Mother's leadership is amazing. I was a close disciple for many years due to my missions. Now Mother has a different spirit. When Mother is asked if an idea is good she says wait one day for my answer so I can discuss it with Father. She always seeks Fathers agreement first. Mother has been clear that her idea is Fathers and that Fathers idea is hers, that they are one.
The changes Mother is making are a natural process. Many recommended that the word God not be changed in the Family Pledge but Mother explained that the Family Pledge is our credo and our prayer. She shared that in this new era we need to understand that God is the God of Parents – father and mother. That's why we call God now Heavenly Parent.
True Mother has asked all churches to be called "The Family Church" and work under the FFWPU umbrella. She discussed this with Father and decided that "Family" is the best name to reach out to the world.
A change has also been made about how our children will end their prayer. We are waiting for more information on this.
The Cheong Seong Gyeong, one of the 8 textbooks, is being updated to add the last 12 years of Fathers words (365 Speeches) and to eliminate duplication. The updated Cheong Seong Gyeong will end with Fathers final prayer.
Father is the "architect" and Mother is the "builder"
Mother is the builder of Cheon Il Guk in a practical way. Guiding and instructing us to be more practical. We have to restore things by 2020.
Dr. Yang continued:
There have been many trials and tribulations of American movement under my leadership. I have to repent of our situation. Most of True Children were raised in America. Think of all those children and what they went through. Yesterday, I met Kwon Jin Nim. He shared that he has no memory of his parents. There were no moments where he was just with his parents. He was raised by Japanese sisters. My Parents were never at home. Children just came and left.
Hyung Jin said until Young Jin Nim passed away he was not a Unificationist. He realized Father was the Messiah then he became a Unificationist.
I accompanied Hyung Jin Nim and Kook Jin Nim and they never missed opportunity to proclaim Father as the Messiah. For a son it is not easy to proclaim their father as the Messiah but they did this and it was powerful. We have to embrace all the children to fulfill the will of GOD. We have to respect what children established, but True Parents, represented by True Mother, are the leaders of our movement. True Mother is the final and sole decision maker of our movement.
Progress comes with pain. True Mother wants to train Kwon Jin Nim as a spiritual leader. Without pain you cannot build your body. He understands the value of pain. I mention this because America is going through growing pains. America has great hope. Without America there is no hope. As leaders and elder members you must pass the torch to the next generation. Organizations and businesses that cannot become self-sustaining will be closed and the resources will be used to grow churches and second generation. Mother wants to use resources to fix churches in America.
Even in Las Vegas, where is there church. Father during one trip to Las Vegas stopped all the cars and said lets go to the church. The church was falling apart. Father was not happy about that as the church was an old house. Father gave his house, to be used as a church center. We have no church building in Vegas. The Peace Center will be completed in a few years but still no church. Somehow how we have to build real church foundation.
We are launching a new level of Home Church and Tribal Messiahship.
The 2020 project will be lead directly by True Parents represented by True Mother. Japan, Korea and America will be responsible for the 20 core nations and the additional 20 nations added recently. Japan, Korea and America will organize 1,600 members each to support these nations along with the support of all Unification Church businesses.
As long as we are aligned with True Parents many good things will happen. I expect to get good news from each of your region.
You are the founding members of this nation together with True Parents. Consider how to change and contribute to 2020. Establishing our church foundation is primary.
True Mother is giving the Il Hwa team to the city and will use those resources to build the church and support the youth.
There is a very clear line before and after Fathers Seunghwa. We have to mobilize the power of the spirit world along with our good planning.
All National Messiahs will be reorganized.
Each of you will receive good guidance from Heaven. I expect good news from each of your districts. Let us report good news to Mother and give her hope. Let us see the potential for revolutionary change in this year and America can become a leading nation.
District Pastors shared 3 things that are working in their districts, 3 things that are challenges and one thing that they want accomplished before the meeting is ended.
(I want state what was shared but each district pastor and organizational leader was honest and sincere in their sharing and it was very moving)
We have to make a total commitment to Home Church. This means dissolving the way church is in America. We should witness ourselves out of a job. I want to see 5,000 home churches thriving and freed from unnecessary layers of leadership.
Establishing substantial Cheon Il Guk Through Home Church Activities and Tribal Messiah Mission will be our central focus in America.
40 years after True Parents wedding in 1990 True Father made True Mother the 2nd founder of HSA-UWC. Starting in 1990 True Mother had to go through 8 courses to prepare for Foundation Day. At the completion of these courses True Mother could stand in equal position with True Father, same position, same authority. Foundation of Faith was before UPF, Foundation of Substance was UPF and this made the Foundation for Foundation Day. In 1992 we initiated WFWP and True Mother was recognized as having the same position as Father. At the celebration of Gods Kingship True Parents are recognized as having the same authority.
Father went for 40 years course as Foundation of Faith. After 40 years we had launching of UPF. Father announced UPF is Foundation of Substance. We cannot miss one foundation. If we do we can't launch the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Why is number 13 so important? Why did Mother mention to Heads of State teach Principle of Creation? How long was creation? 6 days, no 12 days, 13 days we can all see as perfect. When all this came out about True Mother and True Father then we can celebrate Foundation Day. True Father was waiting for this for 12 years. Coronation of God's Kingship, 12 years later we could set up Foundation Day. Two celebrations: Coronation of Emperor and Empress and The Foundation Day Registration Blessing ceremony-Restoration of Blessing- We have to cooperate together to build nation of Cheon Il Guk
World Headquarters will develop materials and focus to support this new Home Church concept. American Headquarters will support and inherit this vision to realize Cheon Il Guk.
In 1998 on May 2, True Parents held special ceremony at the hospital room where Heung Jin Nim died and proclaimed -- from today on culture of heart and unification become one. True Parents did not regard Unification Church and Christianity as separated. They are now one in Shim Jung.
True Mother gave the direction to only teach Divine Principle and the path to the Blessing during the 2020 project and asked all organizations and churches to inherit this direction. She asked that all other teaching such as Freedom Society, Good Sex Marriages and so on not be taught but to focus on basic Divine Principle teaching. She asked that we focus on Divine Principle and not put in our own ideas at this time. We need to know who True Parents are, who the Messiah is and align ourselves with True Parents as the Messiah. Why are we so confusing? We don't know who is True Parents. There is no way we put in our own ideas. All organizations should focus on teaching the Divine Principle.
"Mother Knows Best". Mother is as aware as anyone is aware of the situation of our movement. Really Mother knows best.
She not a "pie in the sky" unrealistic leader. Mother has made a life commitment and we have completed the Providence of Restoration. We never had the chance to hear Mother in the past. Mother has always been like Fathers shadow. I did not know her that much either. The few interactions I have had showed me clearly that "she is Gods daughter with whom He is well pleased". She never believes we are here to wrestle with the angel. I see her always listening to others but not being afraid to make the decision she feels is best.
I remember Father asking Dr. Yang how many days till Foundation Day and it was still 600 days away. Now we are looking back. Foundation Day has passed. Time goes so fast, its hard to believe.
Our job is take this huge vision and translate it down to the next 3 months. We can't just look ahead to 2020. We have issues and problems, that cannot be denied but God tells us not to worry, to trust Him, that He has a plan. These are low tide problems. When the tide comes in all the problems are hidden. Growth solves all the problems. The promise of Foundation Day is forgiveness and new starts. Why are you worrying about all the old stuff?
What does God want us to do right now?
Where are we now?
Where do we want to go?
How do we get there?
Are we there yet?
Where are we now:
We have had some shattering and recent reverses
We are in a period of rapid change which could easily be seen as instability
The frontline is not empowered or equipped which betrays our internal values
We have many missions with competing or cross purposes which betrays our external goals
Our future is not predictable
Where we want to be:
Responsible, equipped and empowered authority on frontline
One core God-centered mission that unites our purposes
A future that is entirely predictable
Growing successful happy families
How do we get there:
Developing a winning strategy
Keeping the win as specific as possible
Simplify everything
100% focused on a Divine Principle centered revival
Understanding that we are here because someone talked with us and taught us the Principle
A central focus and support on developing Home Church/Tribal Messiahship
5,000 Home Church based churches functioning Independently.
Complete reorganization of Church leadership and downsizing
Congregational Polity. We will have a heavenly democracy but clear top down leadership will exist in terms of providential mandates
Training and investment in local pastors
Members becoming pastors and church planting
Every member becomes a Principle lecturer
New Divine Principle Materials
Honest transparent communications
Local, District and National Councils
To be a member of this church you have to be a Principle teacher.
Building on Rick Warrens material
We need to proclaim the Divine Principle and that everyone needs to join the lineage of True Parents.
We must help each other grow closer to God
Councils and council members are not in a control position but in a position to serve. They operate based on what members, through consensus want to happen and help make a pathway towards that goal.
National Council Focus:
Blessed Family Life
Church growth and evangelism
Branding and positioning
Governance and polity
Bishop Kim is responsible for everything in our movement. He has a very heavy burden He is the chair of all these activities while I have an executive responsibility. I am working with him but it is my job. I cannot say the buck goes somewhere else. Bishop Kim is best placed to send our reports and testimonies to Mother. We should think in this way to bring things to Mother. How can we bring good news to Mother? Bring Mother success and she will listen. Mother has decided what we should do and is not looking for alternative ideas.
Districts will be combined in the near future.
Local leadership teams should create goals that can be accomplished.
A decision made that the HSA-UWC USA Vice President will be a Young Woman, one of our sisters and that changes should be made in all leadership positions to create more diversity.
All leaders in the American church will be under 40 years old within 3 years. Each leader over 40 should start looking for a younger person to inherit their mission.
Proclamations
Keeping the pastors ever-conscious that our first calling is for the proclamation of the Divine Principle and the Word to the church and the world, presenting True parents as Saviors to all people regardless of race, gender, nationality, tribe or economic Status.
The Pastors Association will focus on:
Personal Growth
Professional Growth
Church Growth
Commitment to Home Church
Every member can witness and bring success. We have to get back to that perspective.
New logos -- FFWPU
Small Group Materials that are working – The Choice, The Starting Point, W.I.R.E.D
Ministry Tools – Unification Church Magazine, very relevant content and design. Good for members and guests
Optimize resources (outsource, national and international collaboration)
Commercialize products (based on market demand)
Increase products (e-book fashion as well, mobile device apps)
Increase services (local product development, media training)
Expand Unification Church Magazine subscriptions and influence (4000 international subscribers)
Inspire the world through young American Unificationist talent and results
Lead with Impact conference:
Enable everyone to make a new beginning. Title is invention and its designed to spark some.
Humility and Faith in our Heavenly Parent
Warm parent-child bod with True Parents
Heart of real brothers and sisters among all leaders and members, past, present and future
Tuesday April 16, arrivals at UTS
Wednesday -- Personal Growth-Work Session -- Digesting the Providence, Personal Inventory, Authentic communication
Thursday -- Professional Growth – I deal with church, Leadership needs
Friday -- Worship, Ministry, Evangelism, focus on church planting. Combination of presentations and breakouts.
Pastors $250.00 spouses $150.00. For lodging at UTS contact Mika
Office of Business Investment and Development ---Eric Holt was asked to work with me. We saw how clear Mother is about our approach towards business and its support of the church. The elder son nation has to contribute to world.
We were asked to take back all Unification Church assets taken UCI. We oversee 17 major businesses.
Battle where things are measurable and real. No company subsidized. #1 Turn the Washington Times around. Re-thinking taking investments from Japan. Direct relationship with Japan in order to turn things around. Brought in expert to turn around Washington Times. Cut 9 million first 4 months. 10 million next year. Tom McDevitt made President. Now there will be no more subsidies I am seeing improvements already. We brought new person into New Yorker. 30 years' experience. Paper went from 13 million to 23 million paid views last 4 months. Fishing business is highly profitable. Chris Stein became director of operations. A great guy he can do it. Mother made it clear, we will close all organizations and businesses that cannot become self-sustaining. We are not subsidizing.
New Yorker cut costs. The Union is trying to shut us down.
Property side. Namvan Vanderstok is overseeing. Our properties are secure. Mother told us if we need to sell Belvedere to accomplish the American mission that we will do it. We need to leverage our properties. New policies are being developed. System of easy communication. True Mother is spiritual leader.
Kentucky: example of sale. Money will be kept in district. New property bought that fits the community's needs.
Headquarters in NY is still in the process of making many cutbacks.
Church Growth-Facts -- Hartford Institute for Religion Research (hirr.hartsen.edu) Studied 5,000 churches. What factors lead to church growth and death.
You cannot say my church is wrong location. At this time downtown churches in cities are growing the fastest but the difference is small.
Young congregations tend to grow more. Congregations with many young people are growing the fastest. Only 16% of the churches where the majority of members are older than 50 are growing.
Multi-racial churches grow faster.
Churches where 41% of the congregation is under 34 are growing
New churches grow faster than older churches
Conservative evangelical churches grow
Mainline churches are not growing
Congregations with a clear mission and purpose will grow
Churches that are a clear "moral beacon" grow
Churches that are willing to change to meet new challenges grow
Difference makes a difference
Conflict in a congregation stops growth
Churches that offer many worship services during the weekend grow
Joyful services bring and keep new people
Churches with electric guitars and basses grow faster than churches with traditional music. Church bands are very important.
Congregations that recruit and focus on new members grow
Churches that follow-up and contact new guests grow – letting them know you care
Twitter/Facebook and other social networking make a difference
All programs during the week should have a focus on inviting people to church
Youth and marriage education creates growth
Churches that pray or meditate often grow faster
Churches where the leadership is shared grow faster
Churches where the Pastors spend 51% of the time on recruitment and evangelism grow
More points brought up by Dr. Balcomb:
As a movement in America we need to and will make major changes – a complete overhaul
Our congregations need to be spiritually vital and alive. If we become that way then those who disagree with us have no impact.
Creating new events: Cultural night, Parenting or Marriage activities… To bring people to the church and to the Blessing. • Support from Headquarters towards payroll in all the districts will be reduced and phased out by Jan. 2014
Church plantings are very important. Larger congregations can divide and plant new churches.
True Mother is clear- we should be The Family Church. Family Federation is bigger than our church.
God has a driving central focus not determined by human efforts. God asked things that defied human intelligence. Gods central purpose in finding his lineage. The central purpose for God has always been to establish a lineage. The bible is full of examples where daughters had to do things for Gods providence that their Fathers would not be proud of. Conventional realities have never stopped God from building His lineage. True Father and True Parents have been instruments in Gods desire to establish a lineage that could not be stopped. I became convinced it would make a lot of sense to make sure the lineage is secure even through unconventional means. How important to God is that his lineage preserver? For God lineage is most important. Gods whole story is one of looking for a lineage. We need to look at True Parents as providential people. God had to do many things to create and protect the lineage He was building through True Father.
Pastors need to focus on the core – teaching the principle, recruitment and evangelism.
God will call members to work on ACLC, WFWP, UPF and other providential organizations.
All leaders will be under 40 within the next 3 years. We don't need to prepare young leaders we need to allow them to lead. They will make mistakes as we did. They are the future. Our older first generation need to pass on leadership and become mentors.
We need to move forward with members that want to move forward. Foundation Day wants to sling us into the future.
True Mother has continued to stress the importance of learning Korean. She suggested learning one new Korean song each month starting with the new anthem.
Everyone has to be a witnesser, a teacher of the Principle and recommence Home Church and witnessing. We have over 4,000 families, about 12,000 children. We are small but if everybody felt that they were pastors we would be stronger than any mainline church. We all felt like pastors when we joined. You should be leading the way. Look for people in your community that are ready to do it. Start with the willing – those ready to do it. Everyone needs to recruit and evangelize.
Distant members that attended Foundation Day need follow up. They should be encouraged to connect with True Mother, the local church and subscribe to Unification Church Magazine. Convey the pure simple essence of True Parents' message as lovingly as you can.
True Mother has asked America to support foreign missions in the 2020 project financially and through providing 1,600 members.
We have one simple goal this year -- Double our membership. Each family brings one new family to church. There is no other way. Can't be done any other way. Every family has to believe that this is their holy mission from God. This will lead to the fulfillment of tribal messiahship goals. It's the time of Gods Blessings and Abundance. All providential organizations should double as well.
In American religious history there were several great awakenings. The messages were always simple, like "believe or go to hell". I try to think about what True Parents did for the world and Americas sake. For a long time I have been thinking that Family Values can affect the world.
FFWPU centers on Family Value ideas centered on True Parents. I wrote my thesis on Rev. Moons family theory.
I think we should research more about Family Values and think of it as a great awakening movement for all churches and institutions.
Father has clearly mentioned the goals of Tribal Messiahship – 430 couples to the Blessing.
How do we deal with the reality that no True Children are leading the change. Also there are other issues about Fathers life that are used as distractions. I do believe that the compelling message is that we are all True Parents children. Would it make any difference if the True Family were successful, united and leading? Not really. Whoever you are, there is a place for you. We don't need to emphasize too much Fathers family (e.g. focus on Jesus not the disciples) there is no one between the person and True Parents. There should be no one between the local church and God. People need to know that they are the kingdom builders.
Mother is expecting us to lead. Who am I to be asked by Mother to be the American church President compared to Hyung Jin Nim? I personally believe that Mother may be making a statement that the church is for the members and lead by the members.
The central point we want to share is Fathers message, his mission and Gods ideal. People cannot meet Father directly anymore. We need to display Father in our lives and families. Life is messy. God has forgiven everything. I don't want to keep looking back. In essence we are moving to serve the risen lord. That is what we can offer people now.
Headquarters will provide the best materials to take us forward.
Most people want to know where this church can take them.
Hyung Jin Nim explained many times that all religions have gone through or are going through what we are going through.
Our Identity -- Who am I? When I study about True Parents it becomes clear who you are today. You are a tribal messiah. 430 couples you must take care and send to Blessing. When Hyung Jin Nim initiated District Pastors he emphasized Tribal Messiahship. You have to bring 430 your tribe to Blessing ceremony. Before I got church title, I am tribal messiah, my tribe my neighbors, my friends
Report from Thailand-650 couples- later another couple did it.
Korean: Start with Korean National Anthem -- Holy song # 3 Educate and practice with your congregation. In Korea we practiced it 12 times. Commit to culture of True Parents. I traveled all over world and people were studying Arabic to understand Islam.
Witnesser:
Teacher of Divine Principle, Home Church. Recruit and evangelize at least 51%. I am not sure about 51% but you should be the one to lead. Make church growth a priority.
Focus on Foundation Day Follow up: Includes people who have been distant. If you don't follow up they don't come back. The chart said 5 times. Follow up-Pure and simple essence of True Mother words. I made effort to direct your attention to True Mother. Encourage them to be connected.
Subscribe to Unification Church magazine. All members should subscribe to Unification Church magazine. Please make effort on this throughout your district. Get resources in hands of members.
Cultivate a new heart of tithing: The average tithe is $125.00 per person each month-means they make 300 per week. A local church needs tithing to grow. Lets encourage all members to be owners and to develop a tithing tradition. Members need to believe that their donations have an impact.
Think long and hard about your replacement: I believe IJN was on right track with bringing in younger leadership and providing mentors. We are not raising up young people, we are making them leaders.
Can anyone describe my job? For me it is to do whatever I have to do to fulfill True Parents expectations for America in the world. We have one idea and one desire. My job is to stand strongly and lean on Dr. Balcomb to keep going forward (not push). People are sometimes confused because we don't know so much about True Parents. This is my conclusion after 34 years here in America. We have to understand True Parents and Fathers vision for 60 years with True Mother. Sometimes we lose direction and don't know what to do because we do not understand the Messiah, 2nd coming and savior.
I want to move forward based on the fundamental principle that True Parents are the messiah humanity has been seeking for 2,000 years. If that is clear then everything else becomes very clear. The messiah always guides us.
We must understand how blessed we are. If we don't value us, who else will value us? Most blessed country and most blessed leaders in our communities around the world. Let us inherit the strong spiritual foundation from Father for America.
Father spent most of his time here in America because he got this direction from God. He was called to reawaken the spirit Christianity and save them. He made the foundation here and then took it to Korea for the unification of North and South Korea. The national leaders see America as having so many blessing. We had True Parents with us and support from Japanese members. I understood this very clearly. Please understand how blessed we are. Please encourage your families to become Tribal Messiahs.
When I went to UTS I learned that you have to listen to others. You have to have empathy. You have to see where you are. What is the new tribal messiahship? Are we losing by sending people away to mission countries? No, we are getting more blessing for our sake and for the sake of others. Encourage your families to fulfill Tribal Messiahship and Home church activities. Can you find someone in your area who can replace you? That is why True Mother is emphasizing 2nd gen. They have to go through many trials. Without trials course they won't learn. Next leaders will do better job. Don't feel bad about change. Study about True Parents life in this country. What future activities will we create? What is our targeted goal? What is final destination? We want to be main life church not main line church.
Let us have positive thinking. Without it we cannot start new way of life. Without positive thinking there can be no positive life and no positive community. Lets have victory spirit and move forward.
Please learn Korean. Father said in 1986 you don't learn Korean you have no qualification to attend any conference or meeting. Like Catholic Bishops they put hand on Bible. They have one Bible which is Latin. Without same language it is hard to know one another.
Japan sent so much money and so many brothers and sisters to America. True Parents invested so much time and resources in America. We cannot forget this.
True Mother wants GPA and all our youth to know True Parents and the Divine Principle. They must go through their trials as we did. Without such a course we can't learn anything. Our youth must go their path and God will help them. Find a good way for our youth to become leaders. Don't fear change.
I always try to be mediator between you and True Parents. You can communicate directly with True Parents. Please understand why we need a church? For education and to spread our word. We need to understand each other. We are in a period to directly communicate with heaven.
Let us go over any obstacles through understanding each other.