The Words of the Schanker Family

Seeking Advisors to Support the Parents' Matching Process

Phillip Schanker
March 25, 2010

MEMO: BFD 2010-03-25

To: District Directors, State & Church Leaders, Blessed Central Families
From: National Blessed Family Department
Re: Seeking Advisors to Support the Parents' Matching Process
Date: March 25, 2010

The National BFD is Seeking Experienced, Motivated and Mature Blessed Members (1st and 2nd Generation) who Feel Called to Support and Facilitate Candidates and their Parents' in the Matching Process

New international guidelines for the parents matching process have been developed under the guidance of FFWPU International President Rev. Hyung Jin Moon. To educate and provide resources for US candidates and their parents and help them develop their own plan for the matching, a Family Matching Handbook is in development, with the support of Senior Pastor Rev. In Jin Moon. We are also pleased to announce that four Parents Matching Convocations are planned for this year: April 16-18 in Barrytown, NY, June 25-27 in the San Francisco bay area, August in Chicago and again in New York in autumn, this time with older candidates participating.

An important feature of the new matching process is a group of trained and experienced Matching Advisors to assist families in developing a clear plan and support them through the process as needed. The ideal Matching Advisor should feel called to this ministry and be trustworthy, faithful, a good listener and patient communicator. He or she should be happily Blessed, and be able to schedule clear hours of availability, however brief, on a regular basis. Advisors will be trained to interview candidates and parents that seek their assistance, understand each family's circumstances, faith, goals and expectations, and help them develop a practical and spiritual plan for the matching process. The BFD will provide the handbook, interview forms and support materials, and will train and certify matching advisors, according to the international guidelines.

Church leaders and BFD representatives are not automatically qualified to be matching advisors through their position alone. We would like each advisor to participate in training, become familiar with the guidelines and process, and be certified by the National BFD. They can then work in cooperation with a nationwide network of advisors, utilizing Parents Matching Convocations, an international matching website, the "Matchbook" website and other resources of the Blessed Family Association, in support of candidates and families. They can also "stand-in" for parents when needed, but should not undermine parents' role nor tell candidates whom to marry.

Advisors will work on a volunteer basis, according to their own availability and situation, and should freely develop their "gift" for this ministry. But we encourage them to work according to the international guidelines, and work in conjunction with their local or district BFD.

Interested First or Second Generation Blessed members should let us know by Email by Monday, April 12th at the latest, and plan to attend one of the upcoming Parents Matching Convocations. A Matching Advisors training is tentatively planned for the weekend of June 4-6, 2010 in the New York area, with additional trainings possible in other parts of the country as needed. Send a brief response with contact phone and Email information to matching@unification.org to receive a short qualifying questionnaire. Include any questions or clarifications you may have.

We look forward to working with those who are called to support candidates and their parents in the matching and Blessing process. Thank you in advance for your investment and support. May God be with you and your family.

Sincerely,

Rev. Phillip Schanker
National Blessed Family Department 

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