The Words of the Stewart Family |
21 people gathered at the stunningly beautiful Airlie Estate in Warrington, VA for a 2 day New Life Family Retreat and Divine Principle Seminar on November 22-23. The retreat was sponsored by the Nova Family Church and the Chesapeake Family Fellowship and is one of a series of monthly Divine Principle retreats that will be held 2008 through 2009.
This retreat was different from our previous gatherings; Parents came with their children to share a precious moment together. Grandmothers and daughters came with their guest. Fathers and sons came together. Ambassadors for Peace came to understand our movement, helping our weekend become a truly family affair. For some this was their first workshop, and for others, the first in many years. The most moving thing was the young college age people who came with their parents and the many who came through their connection and participation in small groups
Rev. Hiroshi Goto and Rev. Kevin McCarthy poured their whole heart into the lecture presentations generating a mounting excitement as they went from creation to conclusion generating searching and insightful questions for our breakout discussion groups. Along with the spiritual food, we feasted on fantastic and plentiful food prepared by a superb chef and attended by waiters who were probably better dressed that many of us. Much of the food was organic and grown on the estate.
Saturday night found us gathered round an open log fire for our family night. It was a time for laughter and joy as we shared our talents with Songs, jokes and testimonies. And as we closed the evening together in praise and prayer, hand in hand, God moved and touched each and every person in that room.
As the retreat came to a close on Sunday, we found out just how great an inheritance our True Parents have given to us. It is an inheritance given through grace that can impact and change the lives of many people in our communities, this nation and world. For those of us who have found this inheritance and grace, we bear the responsibility to share it with our families, communities and beyond. We live in a world that is confused and directionless with many people searching for a place to belong. The one place in the world that all people can belong is in the heart and embrace of True Parents. This is a place where we can truly live as one family under God.
The Nova Family Church and the Chesapeake Family Fellowship are committed to holding a retreat each and every month. The next retreat will be held on December 27-28 on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
These retreats are not funded by our movement and to make this experience affordable for all and to offer sponsorship to as many as we can; we have developed a two set DVD of Rev. Kevin McCarthy’s presentation of DP. The set is more than seven hours of Rev. McCarthy sharing Divine Principle from creation to conclusion in his own unique way at the first retreat in Warrington. The DVD’s should come with the warning that buying this could seriously change your life. The cost is $20.00 and will be used to support further retreats and for sponsorship. For more information on upcoming workshops and to order a DVD please email James Stewart.
God bless you and your family,
James and Matilda Stewart
National Directors
Family
Fellowship (HDFC)