This Week Features:
Columbia Family Church, South Carolina
Las Vegas Family Church, Nevada
Reno Family Church, Nevada
Sacramento Valley Family Church, California
Thousands of families and individuals across America are participating in Special Grace Ceremonies to experience forgiveness, love, and unity through receiving the newly established Cheon Il Guk Holy Wine from True Parents.
In this article series, communities throughout the nation share their experiences and sincere testimonies while receiving this Special Grace.
Las Vegas Family Church, Nevada
Sunday, October 2, 2016 was a beautiful and cool morning in Las Vegas when brothers and sisters gathered at True Parents’ home, the Cheon Hwa Gung, for a special Burning Ceremony and to receive the Holy Items.
This was the next step in the process through which Las Vegas families were to inherit the Special Grace from True Mother.
At 8:30 in the morning, before Sunday Service, each family brought their Repentance & Resolution forms to the backyard, where a small fire had been set in an open grill. Family by family, each member placed their papers in the fire.
They then joined a long line of brothers and sisters to the door of True Parents’ home where they would receive their Holy Items. Whole families stood quietly together with reverence at this time of heavenly reflection.
Once inside, names were quickly checked at the door and each family found their Special Grace and New Beginning Resolution certificate and their own beautiful wooden box containing the Holy Items, which had been lovingly arranged alphabetically on tables.
After receiving the Holy Items, each family then enter the prayer room to multiply their new candles from one of the seed candles, which had been lit and were continuously burning. They could also offer prayer by family and offer their hearts of gratitude to Heavenly Parent and True Parents for this precious opportunity to make a new beginning.
The final step was to sign the Special Grace and New Beginning Resolution certificates.
Reflecting on the Burning Ceremony and Bequeathment of the Holy Items, one couple called it “a holy experience.” Two other couples agreed that “it feels like we’ve come to a new, higher level in our movement,” and expressed their hope that brothers and sisters will be able to keep the preciousness of True Parents’ Special Grace in their hearts and go forward with new hope and determination until 2020.
Sacramento Valley Family Church, California
19 families were represented at the Special Grace Ceremony held during the Sunday worship service at the Sacramento Family Church in California. After viewing the video of True Mother’s prayer over the Holy Items, the pastor gave a brief talk on the meaning of sacraments from our Christian and Unificationist traditions and our portion of responsibility in receiving grace. After offering our New Resolution forms, the Holy Wine Ceremony, and receiving the Holy Candles, families joined in a potluck lunch and fellowship.
Reno Family Church, Nevada
In the Reno Family Church in Nevada, seven families received the Holy Items.
Columbia Family Church, South Carolina
On Sunday, October 2, the Columbia Family Church of South Carolina held a Holy Item Bequeathment Ceremony for the families of South Carolina.
