A Steady, Unwavering Heart

Photo credit FFWPU-USA

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) USA National Ministry Team gathered at The New Yorker hotel on March 12 for their monthly meeting to discuss ongoing initiatives, the widely-attended national and regional Famicons and plans for the next seven years.

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, regional chairman of FFWPU-North America, attested to the overwhelming success of these Famicon 2020 conferences. “There’s never been one like this,” said Dr. Kim. “People have been awakened through our efforts. Let’s bring God’s spirit and God’s good news back to our communities and households.”

He also stressed the importance of carrying on the spirit of Cheon Il Guk (God’s Kingdom of Eternal Peace) into the next seven years, adding, “We must establish a foundation and unite with True Parents on every level: from the individual, to the family, community, national, and the world.” True Parents is an affectionate term used by Unificationists when referring to FFWPU Co-founders Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon.

Rev. Demian Dunkley, president of FFWPU-USA, introduced the new Famicon website, which offers resources for local communities to plan their own Famicon events over the next three weeks. “Famicon is not over; it’s spreading all across America and every community will be a part of it,” said Rev. Dunkley. “The seed of whatever we do on the national and subregional levels needs to be fully planted and absorbed in each and every family.”

He also thanked Dr. Kim for his steady and unwavering heart over the past seven years. “We will be challenged in the next seven years,” continued Rev. Dunkley. “No matter what comes our way, if we stay together, trust in God, and unite; we can bring about any victory.”

Kaeleigh Moffitt, national director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry (YAYAM), reflected on her uplifting experience at the regional and national Famicons, where she witnessed the older and younger generations learning from each other and appreciating one another’s point-of-view. “I walked out feeling so full and hopeful; I felt a healing between the generations,” said Moffitt. “The completed testament is the era of attendance and attendance equals love. I hope that this is the culture of heart we can create as we work together.”

Dr. Luonne Rouse, national co-chairman of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), spoke about the recent Chosen ACLC workshop and the upcoming workshops scheduled for March and April. “Chosen is an opportunity for us to reach out to traditional christians and bring them to Unificationist Christians so they can understand the message of True Parents,” said Dr. Rouse. “To all the 7.7 billion people of the world: we are family!”

After attending the Chosen workshop, participants are encouraged to attend local ACLC prayer breakfasts and smaller workshops in order to further develop their understanding of the Divine Principle and True Parents. 

Dr. Frank Kaufmann, president of the Professors World Peace Association (PWPA) USA, discussed the recent World Peace Academic Conference, one of the elements of the World Summit 2020 in Korea. The event, involving hundreds of guests and 40 major speakers including Senior Vice-President of Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) International Dr. Sun Jin Moon, developed parameters for how academia and Unification thought are essential in building a peaceful world. “A scholar’s job is to get the truth right,” shared Dr. Kaufmann. “The Divine Principle (the main teachings of the Unification movement) is greatly helpful for this.”

PWPA, initially founded in 1973 in Korea and Japan, was revitalized by True Mother in 2019, appointing Dr. Kaufmann to lead the U.S. division.

Roland Platt, director of Generation Peace Academy (GPA), shared about the GPA Korean pilgrimage where participants had a transformative experience. “The highlight of the trip was attending the victory celebration,” said Platt. “We felt so much confidence in being able to stand by True Mother’s side as we launch our efforts for the next seven years. It was an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.” Read all about GPA’s trip to Korea here and here. 

Anyone interested in solidifying their heart and commitment to the next seven years, register now for the 2020/2021 GPA program!

Dr. Thomas Ward, president of the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), discussed recent and ongoing UTS developments, including the official opening of UTS’ historical exhibit at 4W 43rd St. on March 9; an upcoming UTS spring conference featuring dialogue between young Unificationists and religious scholars; and the new Massive Online Open Course (MOOC), “Unification Thought in Context.” The MOOC will be free to audit and is available to all who are interested. For more questions, send an email to mooc@uts.edu. 

Interested in hosting a Famicon in your community? Visit their new website for more information.