New Minnesota Church Hosts Midwest Subregional Meeting

The newly-erected Minnesota Family Church became host this past December when leaders of the Midwest Subregion gathered there for a weekend of planning and discussion. The activities began on Friday, December 7 as pastors began to arrive for an evening of dinner and fellowship. They were greeted graciously by Rev. David Rendel, Midwest Subregional Director, and Rev. Hyungtae Ha, District 8 Pastor who led the project to build the Minnesota Church. The next morning, leaders met for formal introductions and a tour of the building, which officially opened its doors only weeks earlier. Following the tour, the leaders of Districts Six, Seven, and Eight spent the morning giving presentations about best practices for supporting the churches and families that make up each of their communities.

A discussion about challenges within communities carried over until well after lunch. The afternoon sessions continued with Rev. Rendel sharing about Tribal Messiahship expectations as the leaders discussed their goals and vision for the subregion as the New Year begins. Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Regional Chairman of Family Federation North America, and Rev. Richard Buessing, now outgoing President of Family Federation for a Heavenly USA, also joined the group that afternoon. Together they spoke about their recent experiences with True Mother. The pastors closed their meeting with dinner and bowling.

On Sunday, everyone gathered once more for a moving Sunday Service at the new Minneapolis church building. Unificationists arrived from all over Minnesota and even the nation to attend, including Kodan leader Rev. Hiroshi Inose, district leaders from other subregions, Dr. Kim, and Rev. Buessing. Everyone could feel the immense pride and respect for the accomplishment of this new building. Lunch after service kept people talking and laughing together until late into the afternoon.