This Week Features:
Puerto Rico
Washington DC Family Church, Washington, D.C.
Louisiana Family Church, Louisiana
Clifton Family Church, New Jersey
Kona Family Church, Hawaii
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.
Puerto Rico
Contributed by Pedro Morales
When I first heard the news that a Special Grace Ceremony would be given, I was very grateful for the unending love of True Parents. As soon as it dawned on me that I would be responsible for holding it in Puerto Rico, fear began to creep into my mind.
The ceremony day came nonetheless, on September 7, 2016. I tried my best to conduct it, but I had been so concerned with my own situation that I had not prepared my best to have a very organized activity. Despite this, we managed to conduct the ceremony.
The most important moment arrived: to drink the Cheon Il Guk Holy Wine. One family had the Holy Wine first, and another one second, and so on, so that we could take photos. Everything went smoothly, apart from my eldest daughter feeling sad because she left too little of it for her sister.
At the end of the ceremony, we said goodbye to the daughter of Luis and Conchita Abadia, who was going to Special Task Force (STF) Europe for a second year as a team leader. The Abadia family received Marta as an offering child from our family. When we asked Marta Abadia to say a few words before she left, she told us that, “We are all one family.” I think her message was clear. True Parents’ love gave us not only forgiveness but also brought unity among us. Luis and Conchita said that they felt like new people after taking the Cheon Il Guk Holy Wine.
As for myself, the next day I was still struggling, thinking about something that had happened close to 25 years ago. My wife told me to forget everything, that True Mother had forgiven everything. It finally dawned on me. This Special Grace Ceremony was real. True Parents had once again given everything for us. But always we have 5% responsibility. I had to not only believe wholeheartedly in what had been given to us, I had to live it. Now it was time to forget all the past and regain confidence. We need to invest ourselves into fulfilling our missions as tribal messiahs.
Clifton Family Church, New Jersey
The Clifton Family Church held a Special Grace Ceremony and Holy Item Bequeathment Ceremony on Sunday, September 25.
Kona Family Church, Hawaii
Contributed by Rev. Chuck Frumin
All participants and families on the Big Island of Hawaii participated in the Special Grace and Bequeathing of Holy Items Ceremony on September 26. The event took place at Hawaiian Queen Coffee Garden in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
It was a positive and moving experience for all who attended. Seventeen families attended along with a few single individuals; a total of 40 people attended in all. One couple drove from the Windward side of the Island (Hilo) to attend the ceremony. Rev. Chuck Frumin led the ceremony and shared about the significance of the event. Farley and Betsy Jones gave the Invocation Prayer.
Everyone felt it truly was a “Special Grace” receiving the Holy Wine and the Holy Items.
Washington, D.C. Family Church, Washington, D.C.
Contributed by Dr. Achille Acolatse
The bestowment of the Cheon Il Guk Holy Items and a second Special Grace Holy Wine Ceremony were held at the Washington, D.C. Family Church on Sunday, September 25, on the foundation of the 120-day special prayer condition offered by the Washington, D.C. Family Church members for the 40th Anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally that was victoriously celebrated last weekend.
Seven families participated in the Holy Wine Ceremony and 32 families received the Cheon Il Guk Holy Items. Many brothers and sisters participated in the ceremony and we were also blessed by the presence of Rev. Richard and Mrs. Marjorie Buessing, the Itinerary Workers (IWs) of the East Coast. After singing holy songs and offering bows to True Parents, we recited the Family Pledge followed by an invocation prayer and the explanation of the significance of the Special Grace and the Cheon Il Guk Holy Items. We then proceeded with the Holy Wine Ceremony, the bestowment of the Holy Items and we listened to True Mother’s tearful prayer. We concluded the day with three cheers of Eog Mansei (victory) and a benediction prayer by Mrs. Marjorie Buessing. We sincerely thank Heavenly Parent and True Parents for this special day.
Louisiana Family Church, Louisiana
Contributed by Rev. John Monestere
The ceremony for the Special Grace was conducted on August 21 at the Louisiana Family Church.
On September 4, in Laplace, Louisianna, four sets of Cheon Il Guk Holy Items were bequeathed to families present after Sunday Service. Receiving the Holy Items were Isamu and Peggy Matsuya, Wendell and Shigeko Miller, Tom and Izumi Bonhagen, and John and Mihoko Monestere.
On September 11, in Lake Charles, LA, the Andrus family (B.H. and Lydia) received the Cheon Il Guk Holy Items from Pastor John and Mrs. Mihoko Monestere. The Andrus Blessed Couple had traveled to Laplace on August 21 to receive the Special Grace. The bequeathing was held at B.H. Andrus’s office, where he has a sanctuary for Sunday Service, Hoon Dok Hwe (scripture study) and Divine Principle teaching. The Andrus family is fulfilling Tribal Messiah activities with a family in Louisiana and are also exploring ways to connect Lake Charles Ministers to the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC).
One sister, Kyoko Taira, shared, “I had a most wonderful experience at the Special Grace ceremony and bequeathing of the Cheon Il Guk Holy Items officiated by Rev. John Monestere and Mrs. Mihoko Monestere in Shreveport, Louisiana. The morning of September 12th I woke up at 2:30 AM and could not sleep, knowing the ceremony was scheduled for 9 AM, even though I went to bed early so as to be well rested and spiritually prepared. I felt wide awake and was ready when Mihoko called so I could be there 15 minutes early.
“Every moment of the ceremony I felt very happy! When it was finished I realized that September 12th (13th in Japan) was the day my brother passed away in 2010. Although I had not asked for this to be the day of receiving the Special Grace, it was a blessing to realize that this was the day of my brother’s passing. My brother had joined the Unification movement when he was young and because of him my husband and I could receive the Blessing.
“I feel this Special Grace allowed me to really know True Parents through the Pastor and Mihoko.”
