‘I Want to Unite with Everyone’

Faith leaders in Philadelphia are embracing Mother of Peace Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and lauding her eponymous memoir as the premier tool for inner peace, unity, and transformation.

“We can really see how Mother Moon is really concerned about peace in this world,” said Bishop Kenneth Lyons of Emmanuel’s Temple of Deliverance, an apostolic church in West Philadelphia. “I took a portion of her memoir and included it in my recent sermon. Her book has really blessed me and encouraged me.”

“It shares how our spirits should be: humble,” said Minister Suchont Convery, another Philadelphia pastor. “It calms you down and teaches the steps toward inner peace. I really threw myself into my community after reading her book.”

Faith leaders shared their inspirational takeaways during a recent online meeting among Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) USA pastors on September 17. Unificationists in Pennsylvania have shared Mother of Peace: And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears from Their Eyes with several local churches. The memoir debuted among the top Christian Ecumenical books on Amazon in June.

“I want to unite with everyone of every religion and every background,” said Bishop Lyons after reading the book. “If you want to fellowship with me, then I want to fellowship with you, regardless of our differences.”

Philadelphia Family Church Pastor Shota Iwasaki talked about the efforts of local community members who have shared Mother Moon’s memoir with clergy despite the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have still been doing outreach and these churches and ministers feel loved. They feel joy, and they feel the memoir is an answer during a time filled with so many questions.”

“We are like embers ready to be reignited,” added FFWPU-USA District Pastor Crescentia DeGoede. “We are ready to carry forward the Prudential Center rally spirit.”

For more than six decades, Dr. Moon, co-founder of FFWPU along with her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, has been tirelessly working to promote global peace through numerous international peacebuilding initiatives, including Peace Starts With Me rallies that have joined together hundreds of thousands of people of all backgrounds from around the world. 

“Practice true love,” said Dr. Moon. “Be the one who lives for the sake of others. Be the one who brings peace.”

The next Peace Starts With Me rally, Come Together Children, will be held virtually on September 21 at 6:00 p.m. EST. 

For more information and to register for the virtual Peace Starts With Me rally, click here.