ACLC Women in Ministry Workshop and Marriage Blessing

The 2016 Labor Day weekend in Oklahoma began with an earthquake registering 5.6 on the Richter scale. Fortunately there were no injuries and there was only minor damage to the Embassy Suites Oklahoma City Airport, the hotel where the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) was holding a Women in Ministry (WIM) conference. 

Over 70 participants joined in the one-day True Family Values Seminar on Saturday, September 3, 2016. That evening they participated in the Cheyenne-Arapaho Nation Powwow in Colony, Oklahoma. Twenty of the participants drove to the event with Rev. John Jackson from Dallas, Texas.

This was the fourth year that WIM held a program in Oklahoma.  In 2013, Oklahoma was their final stop on the Trail of Tears Pilgrimage.  In 2014 they participated in a Father’s Day Powwow with Chief George Akeen.  In 2015 and again this year, they participated in the Cheyenne-Arapaho Nation Powwow.

WIM is led by its three national co-chairs: Minister Reiko Jenkins, Rev. Marilyn Kotulek, and Archbishop Sulanch Lewis-Rose.  The Oklahoma organizing committee consisted of Rev. Jun Orikasa, Chief George Akeen, Rev. Kotulek, and Rev. John Ngoran.

Rev. Kotulek served as the mistress of ceremonies, and Bishop Patra Kidwell gave the True Family Values presentation “What Went Wrong.”  Rev. John Jackson, the FFWPU district pastor, commented: “I was very impressed by Bishop Kidwell’s powerful delivery.  She engaged the whole audience with her charismatic spirit.” 

On the other side of the country, Hurricane Hermine prevented Archbishop George A. Stallings Jr., the national co-chair of ACLC, from attending the conference. In his stead, Rev. Levy Daugherty, ACLC national senior executive adviser, addressed the WIM, speaking on the significance and value of the Marriage Blessing.  Rev. Jackson commented, “Rev. Daugherty did a fantastic job helping everyone know why we need to restore the family—not just for ourselves but for God.”

The small group discussions after each presentation were very valuable.  Bishop Kidwell commented, “When people spoke in their groups and gave their reports, I realized that the Divine Principle content was coming to them afresh.  There was a completely new opening for their minds and eyes.  The presentations really grabbed a lot of people.”

Oklahoma State Senator Anastasia Pittman gave encouraging remarks and presented a proclamation signed by the state governor, the Honorable Mary Fallin.  Senator Pittman stayed for the entire seminar.  She was very impressed by the presentations and encouraged WIM to continue their work of restoring families.  She asked for copies of the True Family Values PowerPoint and the ACLC video “Stand for Family and Save the Nation.”

To conclude the seminar, Rev. John Jackson led the audience in the Holy Wine Ceremony. 

After the seminar at the Embassy Suites the participants drove to the town of Colony, Oklahoma, for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Nation Powwow.  Chief George Akeen had arranged with the Powwow Committee for the ACLC WIM to have one hour of the powwow program. 

The WIM danced a special “Honor Dance” to honor the 39 tribes of Oklahoma.  Rev. Jackson said, “As a white guy, I felt a little awkward at first, but when native people started joining us, I felt very comfortable in the friendly atmosphere.”

ACLC Chair Emeritus Rev. Dr. Michael Jenkins offered sincere repentance for America’s history of mistreatment of its native people.  This genuinely moved the hearts of those present.  Rev. Claire Daugherty from Virginia commented: “Rev. Jenkins apologized for the sins of the white people against the native people.  He minced no words, and I was personally moved to tears.  He acknowledged the failure of the white people and asked for forgiveness.  In the morning we had an earthquake, and in the evening we had a spiritual earthquake, as Rev. Jenkins repented on behalf of white people.  I perceived a spiritual crack or fissure in a huge wall of rage and pain that could allow a deep wound to begin to drain as a first step toward healing.”

To conclude the WIM part of the powwow the Marriage Blessing was given.  Chief Akeen and his wife received the Holy Wine, and then they shared it with ten other couples who came forward to receive the Marriage Blessing.  Holy Wine was then distributed to 500 native families around the powwow circle.

Rev. John Jackson was especially moved by the native people’s reverence toward the U.S. flag.  Right at 6:00 p.m. a bugler blew “Taps,” and everyone in the powwow stood in silence as the U.S. flag was ceremonially lowered, carefully folded, and presented to the head of the powwow.  Rev. Jackson said: “It moved my heart so deeply to see the respect these people had for the American flag.  The native people have been continually betrayed by those representing the American government, yet they show so much patriotism and loyalty to the American ideal.”

Many of the older men at the powwow were veterans, having served their country in the various branches of the U.S. armed forces.  Chief Bear Claw, a dear friend of the ACLC, was an Army Ranger who served in Vietnam. 

Later in the evening, Chief Akeen and his family treated the entire WIM conference to roasted buffalo and Indian fry-bread.

The next day, a Sunday service was held at the Embassy Suites in Oklahoma City.  Archbishop Sulanch Rose, Rev. Betty Tatalajski, Dr. Patra Kidwell and Rev. Orikasa described their impressions of the True Family Values program and the powwow. Dr. Michael Jenkins concluded by affirming, “We truly are one family under True Parents.”

Rev. Marilyn Kotulek, the co-chair of the ACLC of Oklahoma and the national co-chair of Women in Ministry, was profoundly moved by the entire program.  She commented, “The true heart of God’s love was reflected as we honored all of God’s people.  God’s prophetic word went forth to honor Him and all of His people.  The ACLC is a beacon of light that will continue to stand for love, stand for our God, and stand for family.”