Dallas Family Church Gets a New Home

On Sunday, July 24, the Dallas Family Church held a sanctification ceremony for their new church building. This occasion coincided with the start of a conference for FFWPU District Pastors, who, during the Dallas Family Church opening ceremony, received the Holy Items that True Parents recently bestowed. FFWPU North America Continental Chairman, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, and FFWPU USA President, Dr. Michael Balcomb, joined in on the celebration and congratulated the community on their new home. 

It was a spectacular event full of grace, joy, inspiration and hope. “God’s presence was truly felt,” said FFWPU USA Vice President, Mari Curry. “There was joyful music; warm, inspiring messages; and beautiful ceremonies from ribbon-cutting, tree-planting, and ceremonial braiding from a sister church.”

District Pastors and the local Dallas Family Church community participated in the Special Grace Holy Wine Ceremony and District Pastors were bequeathed the special Cheon Il Guk Holy Items on behalf of their districts, through FFWPU North America Continental Chairman Dr. Ki Hoon Kim. During the bequeathment of the Holy Items, the community shared a moment of sincere prayer.

Following the ceremonies, District Pastors and national leaders had a volleyball tournament with the Dallas Family Church youth. It was an exciting afternoon and everyone played together for over two hours. The two youth teams won first and third place, with the District Pastors putting up quite a performance and attaining second place.

Reflections on the Ceremony:

Today I attended the dedication ceremony of the new Dallas church. It was a beautiful ceremony where I felt completely True Parents’ presence. I remember two years back, True Mother mentioned that we have to take care of our properties in America and churches need to be presentable. Today when I was attending the dedication several times I remembered that. I am committed to make our church in Clifton, New Jersey also a better church and newer church where God and True Parents can be proud of our house of worship. Also today we have received the Holy Items True Parents have given to us as the treasure for our lineage. The most important feeling I experienced was True Parents’ love, and I truly surrender before that love.

-Manoj Jacob, Pastor of the Clifton Family Church

Today we celebrated both the receiving of the new Holy Items in America as District Pastors and the opening of the new church in Dallas, Texas. I experienced the grace and strength of True Mother’s prayer. I felt that what True Parents went through, we could benefit from substantially. The inheriting of the grace at this time and the Holy Items gave me a sense of new beginning and cleansing. The opening of the new church in Dallas, Texas gave a great feeling if unity. It was a sharing of the communities in my district and all across the nation. By contributing together it was really like the saying, “a victory for one is a victory for all”.

-Gary Chidester, District 5 Pastor

I want to thank True Parents for this precious gift of special grace and the Holy Items, which were given to me and my family to start completely anew. I’ve learned that the moment of receiving the grace is very important, but the process and preparation are important as well. We watched True Mother’s benediction, and her tearful prayer touched my heart. I felt I was filled with the forgiving and encouraging spirit of Heavenly Parent and True Parents.

-Kazuo Takami, Honolulu Family Church Pastor

I can understand deeply that True Parents’ victory is absolute. Now I have the confidence to accomplish my responsibility. The ceremony was directly guided by Heavenly Parents and True Parents. Thank you, True Mother,  giving us such a meaningful ceremony.

-Hiroshi Inose, Cheon Il Guk IW & Kodan National Director

Today we were amazed to receive the special grace from True Parents as we opened our beautiful new church in Dallas, Texas. As we completed the 40 days of gratitude and repentance to receive True Parents’ blessing, the community also had to let go of many things of the past to make a new start in this new temple. I felt like this was a national level experience that has elevated and given hope to the nation.

-Demian Dunkley, FFWPU USA Director of Evangelism