The American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) is bringing together the estranged family of Abraham. In Jerusalem, the ACLC brought together cousins who had never met.

Dr. Margie De la Rosa entered Jerusalem's Seven Arches Hotel for ACLC's evening revival service sparkling even more than usual. Before leaving for this pilgrimage, her mother had told her that she had white-skinned cousins and she would be meeting them soon. In the lunch line this very day, Dr. De la Rosa was talking about being a Cherokee. Behind her, Rev. Steven Wilson's ears opened. His parents had talked about Cherokee relatives. He started talking about the Harrisons. Dr. De la Rosa's mother was a Harrison. It didn't take long to establish even more connections. Amazingly, these cousins met for the first time half way around the world, and were holding hands all evening.

This was just a foretaste of the joy that God's children experienced under the seven arches of the ballroom of the hotel overlooking the lights of the Old City of Jerusalem on the eve of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. The meeting was held at the Seven Arches Hotel in East Jerusalem, because at the Hyatt Regency, where most of the participants were staying, power to run microphones was not available throughout the Jewish holy days, when inasmuch as possible, all work is suspended.

"There are complaints about us not giving enough notice about events like these pilgrimages," began Rev. Levy Daugherty, secretary-general of the ACLC. "But how much time did Moses give the Israelites to head for the Promised Land?"

The Bible says Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. Rev. Daugherty continued: "If you are righteous, you have the kingdom of heaven inside you. If you are persecuted for righteousness' sake, don't worry about it. God is within you. Jesus said, ÔThe kingdom of heaven is within you.' We have joined ourselves with a righteous movement and with a man who has been persecuted for righteousness' sake. But Rev. Moon loves Jesus. He set aside a whole house for Jesus and prepared a special room in it to honor Jesus. He really taught me who Jesus is and how to love him."

Rev. Daugherty called up a young woman from the Czech Republic who had gone to visit a Palestinian family who lives behind the wall that is being built to divide Palestinians and Israelis. "We crossed the checkpoint," she said, "and it was not too difficult. I had the confidence that God was watching over me. However, crossing the border was like coming from the garden to the garbage can, in terms of the general environment. There are ten brothers and sisters--such a big family. We should learn from them how they cherish family values."

Joy Williams sang a song her Jewish mother wrote about bringing people in the Holy Land together in heart.

Heading up the newly formed Women In Ministry Committee of the ACLC, Mrs. Reiko Jenkins and Minister Ethel Hayes, from Houston, Texas, spoke about how God is working through the women of the ACLC. "Father said we have to help and educate the ministers' wives concerning the work of ACLC and the Providence" Mrs. Jenkins said, "because ministers are moving forward fast and the wives need to be able to keep up. On March 24, Father said women have to come forward. I think women have suffered a lot throughout history. Women have the mind to serve God, and they can bear fruit for God. As women, we have to take care of each other."

"Like Esther in the Bible, I am willing to come forward," Minister Hayes said. "We have such powerful women in this movement. This power needs harnessing. We have to be at the right time at the right place, and we have to find favor."

Bishop C. Phillip Johnson of Washington, DC, concluded by reminding us of St. Paul's words that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation. The challenge is what we will do with the anointing that has been given us. St. Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

"God has given us a promise," Bishop Johnson said, "but with that promise comes a responsibility. You must believe that the kingdom is in you before you can manifest the essence and presence of the kingdom. Jesus promised that we would do greater works than him because he was going to the Father. The stuff that makes for peace is on the inside of you."

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