Hyung Jin Moon
December 1, 2007
HQ Church, Chungpadong
Seoul, Korea
Induction Ceremony as Senior Pastor of the Headquarter Church
Dear members, Good morning I do not know what I can say to you who have worked hard for church. In 1 999 my elder brother Young Jin Nim passed in to the spirit world, His Ascension was a great shocks to our family. Since then, however, I can feel that our family has grown and matured. It was from Young Jin Nim's passing that I began my 21 years course.
That was about the time when I shaved my head and began wearing the long robes. There was a lot of talk about me. Actually I was afraid of what Father would say about my appearance. Honestly speaking I was actually waiting for Father's judgment wondering "When is he going to scold me?" Yet strangely during the six years I spent with that shaved head not once did Father scold me about that.
It was also quite, shocked when I looked at the pictures of myself from that time. I was completely bald and I completely looked like a Buddhist monk. Yet, Father supported me and encouraged me. At that time I had many doubts about myself. I struggled deeply wondering "What is the meaning of life?" and "What kind of path I should take from now?"
Curiously, Father never reprimanded me but always supported and encouraged me, telling me "Continue your studies, study the world religions. Learn from all religions; once you penetrate their teachings you will become God's most beloved son." These are the things he said as he encouraged me. That was when I became a genuine Unification Church Member.
A group of Buddhist monks from the Joogye Order once visited Harvard University when I was a student. With the professors I met those monks. Along with these monks there were reporters from the Joongang Ilbo and Gonga Ilbo (Korean newspapers). They knew I was the son of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and seeing my shaved head they interviewed me.
They asked, "Didn't your father kick you out of the house? "(Laughter from audience) I told them candidly, "I honestly thought my father would kick me out. But instead he supported and encouraged me telling me to continue with my studies. He enveloped me in his love. That's the only father I know."
I was the youngest in my family and thus grew up in my father's love. While living in Chung Pyung with True Parents, I would see Father loving Shin Joon and Shin Deuk. I would tell Father, "Father, we grew up in your love. Your grandchildren are also being raised in your love."
My wife and I are together in this ministry. We have one goal. It is to convey the love we receive from True Parents to you. Unlike my brothers I haven't actually experienced the fearful side of Father, nor do I wish to find out. The most important part in my life was True Parent's love. Likewise, I believe True Parent's love is what is most important to our members.
Father has said in the Peace Messages that "God is not our judge, we are our own judge." I do not believe in a god who judges. I do not serve such a god. The True Parents that I know were the ones who unconditionally loved me, encouraged me and supported me. That is the only God I serve. (Continues, crying)
Other people can probably tell you about True Parent's fearful side. I'm sure that True Parents do have kind of side. When I was in doubt of myself the only experience that I went through was that of receiving boundless love, encouragement and strength -- not judgment -- from True Parents. I believe that all the members of the world need this love from True Parents.
I believe that Korea could have been True Parent's nation. If in the 1960's all the religious foundation; especially the Christian foundation prepared by God in Korea had born fruit and attended True Parents. The year 2007 ushered in the age of the Complete Settlement of Cheon Il Guk, the Era of Liberation and Complete Freedom and True Father's misoo celebration.
In this year, declared a providential jubilee by True Parents, my elder brother Kook Jin Nim and I were assigned a great mission. True Father instructed us to create within three years a church where 20,000 can gather. When he first told me this I had doubts as to what had to be done. Father explained the reasons to us, as you know there are many prominent church organizations in the vicinity of the Headquarter Church.
There is the Chulrigyo Building nearby and right next to our building there is a convent. If you walk a bit further you will see a Samil Church. As you might know nearly 20,000 Christians gather every Sunday to that Samil Church.
Among our churches we have churches where about hundred people gather each week. Some of the larger churches have 200. You can not compare a church with 200 with that of 20,000. Honestly speaking Christians will not come to Father. About a month and half ago, Father gave us this great mission to create a 20,000 member church.
If we truly wish to move the Christian foundation we have to be on the same levels as the Christian churches. That way they will not be able to ignore us. All the religions in Korea, the father nation, in the other words, Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and all other religions should all speak in high praise of True Parents.
They should extol and attend True Parents while True Parents are here in flesh. A certain promise can be found in the Divine Principle. It says that when the messiah comes all the religions will come together under the messiah who will stand on the foundation prepared by God, and that all religious people will serve and attend the messiah as the king of peace in heaven and earth.
Although all our members have read those words in the Principle, they still doubt whether the world would truly come to serve and attend True Parents. In reality many members might have already given up on that promise elucidated in the Principles. Yet, Father is joining their strength and making the Christian and religious foundations serve and attend True Parents. This should be done before 2010.
The Full Gospel Church has about 100,000 people gather for their services each week. Samil church has about 20,000 each week. The Church of Love has 30,000-40,000 each week. Father has told us that if we wish to have the Christians from reputable churches come and serve True Parents, we have to be on the same level as them.
Although I was assigned to this position our goal is the same as before. "In the field of ministry, let us convey True Parent's love to the members. Let us convey True Parent's love to the world. Let us create a loveable church, a church that is filled and overflowing with True Love." That is the goal I cherish in my heart. I have conviction in my heart. My older brother Kook Jin also has that same goal.
I am one year younger that Young Jin, my elder brother. Young Jin and Kook Jin are quite similar in character. Both of them good at studies and excel in whatever they do. When they were young my elder brothers Young Jin and Kook Jin grew up in a field of "A's" and awards I grew up in a corn field. (Laugh)
I actually did not excel in my studies. I enjoyed playing outdoors in nature. Yet, I was very close to my brother Young Jin. Kook Jin and Young Jin hyung were also very close. Whenever I walked passed Kook Jin hyung's room, Young Jin hyung was always there. I have many good memories of spending time with him, talking and playing games with him.
When Young Jin hyung passed away (starts crying), it was s great shocks to me. There was another person who was even more shocked than me. It was Kook Jin hyung. Kook Jin hyung was not a scary elder brother to us, he always loved his younger siblings. He was a reliable elder brother. He had a strong sense of ethics and was an absolute model elder brother.
I remember right after Young Jin hyung passed away going to True Parents room, there I found True Father and True Mother sitting in their seats but Kook Jin hyung was on the floor crying out loud for Young Jin. That was the first time I saw that confident brother of mine being vulnerable. The sight of him crying still remains in my heart to this day.
I would like to reiterate that we all have the same goal. We all want to return eternal glory to True Parents; we want to return glory to our members who have worked so hard; our brothers wish to show you how much we have grown and matured. I will put my life on the line to fulfill that goal. We have to make that kind of determination.
We will bury our bones in this land of Korea. I will go through to the end if not for this world then for my brother Young Jin. We will not stop until the day this nation can serve and attend True Parents while they are in the earth, people praise them as the True Parents, and great Christian ministers support True Parents and glorify them.
Still, honestly speaking, I believe that no matter how determined we Moon brothers maybe, that day will never come unless we are walking with you, Unificationist brothers and sisters. I am not here today to preach you; rather I am here to ask you for a favor. Please help us. Please guide us. We are still young and have so much to learn.
We all need to put our strength together in order for this church to can be filled with True Parent's love instead of fear or power. It can be a church where we yearn for True Parents as if they were truly our parents, a church where we can run to them, embrace them and kiss them. If we can become that kind of church of love, I'm confident that 20,000 and even 100,000 will come to this church and that we can become a church larger that the Full Gospel Church and return greater glory to heaven.
This is my request to you. Please help us. This church is our church. It is our tradition. Our children should grow within this church. As the days pass by let us elevate True Parents to heaven and in history by created the greatest church in this world. We should never give up. We will not give up on our members. So we ask that you not give up upon us. We will do our best. Don't we all serve and attend the same True Parents? Let us walk forth together so that True Parents can receive the greatest glory from the world while they are on the earth.
Thank you very much.