230 Ministers Pray for Peace at the DMZ

The Peace Starts With Me interfaith conference ended on a high as 230 religious leaders prayed for peace at Imjingak, a Korean War Memorial near the border between North and South Korea, while concluding their conference with a ceremony in which True Mother left them with yet another deep and profound message.

Bishop Dan Johnson, Pastor of the Heart of Fire Ministries, was at the 9/11 tragedy in New York and was a chaplain there.  Through his work he became close with former president George W. Bush and last November, he stood with President Trump and was elected to the State House of Representatives of the state of Kentucky. During the conference, he stated:

I was with Father and Mother Moon in 2000 and since.  I am amazed at the power of the movement now under True Mother’s leadership.  It is shocking to see the magnificent growth in America and Korea.  I got chills when I prayed and the DMZ.  From this conference I could feel without a doubt that a peaceful solution is within reach.  The 230 religious leaders are all united to bring peace between North and South Korea, Japna America, Russia and China.  It is Biblical – like when Joshua marched around Jericho and the people of faith shouted with one voice – without weapons the wall came down.   We want to see the people of North Korea free and fulfilled.  

“As faith leaders, we know that as it was said in the scriptures, ‘Not by Might, Not by Power but by my spirit saith the Lord.’  The achievement of peace between North and South Korea will come when the people of God come together in unity. Father Moon predicted in 1980 that the wall between east and west Germany would come down in the late 80’s and the Soviet Empire would dissolve. Father Moon was right.  We see the barrier between North and South will also end soon. Though it is a time of great danger, Mother Moon has predicted that if the faith leaders of the world engage and sincerely seek God’s Intervention for Peace, then the 6 nations tied together on the Korean Peninsula will find a means to work out a peace solution.   Bishop Cecil Riley, Presiding Bishop of the  Freedom Hall Church of God has 30 churches in the U.S. and Caribbean with 20,000 members, said ” We want to send a clear message to the North,  America is strong and will not waiver and is ready to defend S. Korea, Japan, America and the world at any price, but America wants to see the realization of peace without war.  There is always a way to solve this crisis if we turn to God.”  

 

We came here in 2011 at the request of Father Moon and we were amazed at the way Father Moon embraced Kim Il Sung, even though he spent 2 years and 8 months in Communist Prison in 1948 to 1950. Communication has developed to his son and grandson.  We see Father Moon had the most powerful spirit to bring enemies together. In the Bible when Elijah asked his disciple Elisha what he wanted, Elisha said a “Double Portion of Your Spirit.”  This reminds me of Mother, Father Moon was the most powerful peacemaker in the world.  However, I am a witness that Mother Moon has a DOUBLE PORTION of Father Moon’s peacemaking power.  We pray now with Mother Moon that the barrier between North and South will dissolve with a spirit of cooperation and peace.   but also Americans want to see the liberation of the people so they can be free.  Freedom will only come when the people are free to worship God and to work to make strong families.”

With the sun beaming on the religious leaders from a wide variety of faiths, Rev. Michael Jenkins, Co-Chair of the American Leadership Clergy Conference (ACLC), Rev. Raymond Giddens, Senior Pastor of the Unity Baptist Church, and Bishop Cecil Riley, Pastor of the Freedom Hall Church of God, among other representatives, stood before the Freedom Bell and engendered a spirit of unity, determination for peace, and an appreciation for True Parents.

Together, the ministers inspired the congregation regarding True Parents’ unwavering dedication to the reunification of North and South Korea, the need for humanity to recognize the importance of True Parents in fulfilling God’s mission, and their commitment to peace, which can be traced historically from their efforts against Communism. The ministers finalized their prayer for peace by uniting in ringing the Freedom Bell, symbolizing hope for unity between North and South Korea and peace for the rest of the world. 

The ministers then made their way to the Cheon Jeong Gung, where they shared a closing banquet with True Mother and True Parents’ family. Rev. Tanya Edwards, Bishop Jesse Edwards, and Rev. Joel Barnaby delivered moving testimonies regarding the role True Parents have played in their lives of faith and relationship with God. True Mother took the stage again to convey her heart toward the 230 ministers from all around America. Realizing the power of having a diversity of faiths represented in the same room, True Mother emphasized the mistakes of human history toward God, and the unequivocal need for all people and all religions–Christianity in particular–to know who True Parents are. 

After True Mother received a large round of applause at the conclusion of her message, Minister A. Curtis Farrow of Irving Street Rep, Inc., then took the opportunity to pay tribute to True Mother. With their hearts centered on Heavenly Parent and True Parents, and led as a choir by Mr. Farrow, the rest of the congregation celebrated and thanked God by singing “To God be the Glory” and “Every Praise.” The passion of the ministers was palpable, as the ministers leave Korea tomorrow full of both hope and a determination to bring peace through action.