ACLC Ministers Travel to Leda

The following article was originally published on July 25, 2016 on the Leda Settlement Blog, a blog featuring the latest stories from the Leda Settlement in Paraguay. Visit the blog to read more about the exciting projects currently happening in Leda and to learn about opportunities for travel and service coming up in the months ahead.

Contributed by Rev. Carol Pobanz

Today Revs. Michael and Zena Sykes together with Rev. Kerry Pobanz met together with Rev. Carol Pobanz, who was already in Paraguay, to begin the Leda eco-service tour, and to inaugurate the Paraguayan branch of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC).

The group began their day with Mr. Sano, director of the Leda Settlement, giving a brief overview of the itinerary and plan.  Following lunch, the couples took the traditional walking tour through the downtown area of the capital city of Asuncion, also making stops at the old congress building and museum, and the Lopez Presidential Palace. There was a hurried return to the hotel to attend the inauguration of ACLC in Paraguay, an event cosponsored by Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP). 

The event sponsors greeted some 30 guests representing Roman and Paraguayan Catholicism, Buddhism, and a variety of the Evangelical and Protestant churches. An ACLC introduction was offered by Senor Pedro Acosta followed by presentations given by the visiting ministers. Rev. Michael Sykes, one of the North American ACLC board members, together with his wife, Rev. Zena Sykes, gave a clear description of True Father’s vision and purpose for ACLC, pointing out that the various religious groups many not necessarily agree on doctrine but can agree to cooperate for the greater good of the world. He pointed out that humanity created religion and that humanity must tear down religion if it divides us, and that we must love one another beyond our differences as one family under God. 

Rev. Kerry Pobanz gave a brief introduction of his two books about the spiritual world and spiritual reality, underlining the fact that we are ultimately spiritual beings and that God’s love is the basis of the spiritual world. He concluded saying, “The spiritual world is incredibly vast. We should realize that our life on earth is like the first step in a journey of a thousand miles.”

The group took photos together, especially focusing on the handshake and embrace of Rev. Sykes representing North American Protestantism and a professor-priest representing South American Catholicism, along with the national leader of the Unification movement in Paraguay, Senor Aristides Rondan.

Tomorrow being Sunday, we will begin with a sermon given by the Rev. Sykes couple.