Latest IPEC Seminar Enriched by Zeal of GPA
Oh, to be young in spirit! The most recent International Peace Education Center (IPEC) Divine Principle Seminar drew from the power of young, passionate minds. On May 5th, 12 participants gathered in Las Vegas for a weekend of intensive Divine Principle study with lecturer Andy Compton. This weekend was unique in that eight of the participants were from Generation Peace Academy, a gap year service program for young Unificationists to complete in between high school and college.
“It was wonderful to have the enthusiasm of our GPA youth along with the wisdom of our elders,” reports Rev. Compton.
The young minds came bright with questions. “How can world peace become a reality, and not just a dream?” asked Risako Yonetani, a GPA participant. “How can this world be healed?” Throughout the weekend, Rev. Compton and the 12 participants attempted to answer Risako’s questions by reading and discussing concepts of the Divine Principle, a holy book that explains the teachings of Reverend Moon.
Most of the seminar guests had heard the content of the Divine Principle many times, either while growing up as Unificationists, or after joining the movement. But one of the participants, recently married to a young Unificationist, heard the content for the first time while at IPEC. This young man attended the seminar with hopes of better understanding his new wife’s community and religious perspective. “I was very thankful for the chance to attain more knowledge about my wife’s background,” he said. “I will take what I can from this weekend and apply it to my everyday life.”
For Keith Anderson, who joined the movement back in the 70s, Rev. Compton’s style added a new flavor to his faith. “He [Rev. Compton] has an honest way of transmitting God’s heart through his,” reflected Anderson. “This, I pray, will be my greatest take-away: the gift of helping others connect with God’s troubled, yet ever-hopeful heart.”
After the weekend, the GPA participants left with new understandings and determinations. “I realized quite a bit more about the kind of heart I want to have,” reflected one attendee. “I want to inherit God’s ideal,” said another. These participants will continue implementing what they learned throughout the rest of their year with GPA.