Hak Ja Han
June 2014
As reported in the Korean headquarters' Cheon Il Guk weekly newsletter, "Vision 2020," True Mother gave special achievement awards to church elders to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of HSA-UWC. She presented four couples with awards for forty years' ministry as part of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary. A congratulatory luncheon at the banquet hall in Cheon Jeong Gung followed.
During the anniversary celebration, True Mother reflected on the circumstances in 1954 when the church was founded and called all the leaders and other members of the Unification movement to reflect on their inadequacies in the past and repent for them. She added that this was a day to renew our determination to fulfill our responsibilities and missions. Following this, True Mother presented Special Achievement Awards to Rev. Yong Ha Kim and his wife Jeon Gin Cho; Rev. Pan Gu Kim and Sun Hwi Pak, Rev. Jae Cheol Ryu and Sun Shik Yu, and Rev. Yun Hyeong Lee and Pak Ok Hyeon for their forty-years of public service in Korea. During those four decades, they worked as pastoring couples and all have many spiritual children. As an incentive to the couples and to others that might emulate them, True Mother gave each couple $100,000 as an additional prize. True Mother also presented awards to church district headquarters that brought the best witnessing results in 2013. First prize went to Cheon Bok Gung, the national headquarters church. Second prize went to the Kwang-ju's district headquarters church (the Kwang-ju in Geonggi Province). Third prize went to the South Jella district headquarters church. Mother also awarded prizes to the twenty-two churches across Korea with the best performances last year. The Cheongshim Family Church represented this group in accepting the award.
Pastors whose congregations were most productive in 2013 pose with True Mother
Through a short video, "A Fresh Start and Our Determination for Victory on the Occasion of HSAUWC's Sixtieth Anniversary," participants were able review True Parents' work over the past sixty years since the founding of HSA-UWC in 1954, including how they led Heaven's providence, raised the church into one overflowing with love through the Holy Spirit and the truth and were able establish the foundation for the restoration of the world. Watching True Parents' work as shown through the video engendered a sense of gratitude in members of the audience, some of whom expressed glory to Heaven and praised God.
True Mother with the four couples that received a special plaque of appreciation for their services taking a commemorative photo
After the video, Cheon Bok Gung's Cheongshim Choir offered a congratulatory song, "We are More than Conquerors," to our Heavenly Parent and the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind, sharing the joy of celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of HSA-UWC with all members of the Unification Church.
Japanese women from our church in Dangjin perform a traditional dance
The anniversary celebration was followed by a congratulatory luncheon in the Cheon Jeong Gung banquet hall. During the luncheon, Ho Yeol Ahn, director general of the Tongil Foundation's International Cooperation Department, spoke about his recent visit to South America. This was undertaken, Mr. Ahn said, "Based on True Mother's indicating that we should prepare the second anniversary of True Father's ascension to highlight True Parents' accomplishments in North America and South America. With that intention, the FFWPU History Compilation Committee's president, Seog Byung Kim, and I led a group to South America that included reporters from Shindonga magazine, the Monthly Joong Ang, Weekly Chosun and Weekly Newsmagazine as well as an MBCNET film director." Mr. Ahn went on to say, "After True Father's ascension, the media has been taking note of True Parents' achievements and watching to see how FFWPU might grow and develop under True Mother's leadership. The reporters that accompanied us to South America this time saw the foundation that the church has in South America and were strongly convinced of True Parents' achievements worldwide and of the bright future of the Unification movement." In this way, Mr. Ahn shared the successful results of his visit to South America this time.
Professor Cheol Ok Lee playing the accordion
As part of the musical performances on that day, Ms. Miho Oshida sang "Beautiful Nation" (아름다운 나 라), Professor Cheol Ok Lee played two songs on an accordion -- "Arirang Sonata" (아리랑 소나타) and "Rivero Tango." The Sun Moon University CARP Club Alliance performed a creative dance, singer Ms. Su Bin Gang sang "Ulsan Arirang" (울산아리랑) and "Today is a Good Day" (오늘은 좋 은 날). Universal Peace Academy cadets sang "Ommaya Nunaya" (엄마 야 누나야), Japanese women from our church in Dangjin perform a traditional dance "Amazing Grace," and "Chil Gap San" (칠갑산). A Japanese group from the church in Dangjin, Korea, performed the Japanese traditional dance "Hanakasa Ondo." Members of a recent graduating class of young church leaders joined CARP leaders in a choral performance and the Chungnam regional witnessing team sang "We can do it" (할 수 있다)" and "God's Will Cheering Song"(뜻의 응원가).
The luncheon concluded with three cheers of Eog Mansei led by Ryu Kyeong Seuk, president of FFWPU Korea. Leaders and regular members were able to all offer joy, glory, gratitude and praise our Heavenly Parent and the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind through the commemorative ceremony and the congratulatory luncheon on the sixtieth anniversary of HSA-UWC's founding. They all made the resolve to attend True Parents and become forerunners that will continuously advance until the victory through Vision 2020.