Senior Pastor In Jin Moon Urges Flock to Re-Imagine Ministry, Build Relationships and Love Life

More than 800 Unificationists and their guests attended the service in the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel.

More than 800 Unificationists and non-Unificationists celebrated a sunny Mother’s Day in Washington D.C. the Lovin’ Life way – with a live sermon from Senior Pastor Rev. In Jin Moon, rock music, good food and fellowship, and ballroom dancing. The service took place in the Arlington Ballroom of the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel [in Crystal City, Virginia] overlooking the Capitol and drew members from Norfolk, Virginia to Baltimore, as well as from New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.

Rev. Moon appeared at the pulpit for the first time in three months to take stock of what Lovin’ Life Ministries has achieved over three years and to exhort her 106 congregations nationwide to seize the opportunities abounding in the remainder of 2012.

Singers for Sunday service included Lara De Oliveira (far left) from Generation Peace Academy (GPA) and Victor Lorentzen (far right) from Norway.

“After three years we can see the difference, in that in our church community we have lots of young people. When you go to other churches, you will realize that there aren’t that many young people in other churches – and that’s what we want. We want our future to be supported and nurtured in this beautiful thing called our community, so that the future can be that much brighter,” she said.

(From left to right): GPA trainees Eunhwa Mouda, Glenn Widenhofer, Eika Davis and Josh Hunter performed a Swing choreographed by Ariana Moon.

Rev. Moon continued: “Lovin’ Life Ministries is here to help us restructure our concepts of the wilderness mentality, which was mere survival. We were merely trying to survive for the last four or five decades out in the wilderness. We were like these little platoons going out to combat, going out under strong male leadership, a sergeant, a colonel, or a general. It’s command and control in the wilderness mentality.

“But right now we are in the settlement age. The settlement mentality has to be different. The settlement age calls for more of a compassionate leadership. Instead of that male aggressive command and control leadership that we have become accustomed to, in this age of settlement we need a different kind of leadership, a compassionate kind of leadership that is nurturing, that is caring, that is supportive, that allows the people to be inspired and empowered, wanting to connect, wanting to contribute, wanting to inherit the true love of God.”

A Need to Re-Imagine Ministry

Rev. In Jin Moon enjoined her listeners to re-imagine what worship should be like in the new age of settlement with a rising generation taking on positions of leadership.

Ryan Jarvis and Jana Iparraguirre performed a Waltz that showcased the elegance of ballroom dancing.

“And Lovin’ Life Ministries is here to help us re-think a lot of the old concepts that were stifling, and to help us liberate ourselves from the old concepts or the old models of ‘we cannot do this. We cannot have

rock music as a part of our worship’ – why not? ‘We cannot have people that don’t look quite right on stage.’ Why not? Why? Does the rock band have to all be in three-piece suits brothers and sisters? ‘We can’t have a church in a movie theater.’ Why not? Lovin’ Life Ministries is a music ministry. In a movie theater you get Dolby surround sound, you get the best sound possible and the visuals are pretty good too. And there is a lobby there and there is an extra room for Lovin’ Life kids. It’s different and it’s new, but why not?”

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, Rev. In Jin Moon spoke for the first time since February 5, 2012.

She spoke to the need for relationship building and the insights afforded by the example of her parents. “In a way the ‘r’ word, relationship, is a loaded word. And nobody really knew how to go about having a great relationship in the context of a family or in the context of a relationship between a husband and wife, or in the context between siblings and colleagues and friends. Nobody really knew how we need to treat each other, be kind to each other and be generous to each other. But our True Parents come to give us the tools on how to work these things out, by going through the experience of building ideal families of our own. Our True Father has often mentioned that the family is the textbook of love. That’s where you learn about all the different relationships – the vertical and the horizontal, the relationship between husband and wife, the relationship between parent and child, the relationship between siblings. This is how we work on ourselves, by truly rubbing up against each other, by honing our skills to be that better human being. This is the gift our True Parents bring.”

Finally, Rev. Moon emphasized that the tone of her ministry was informed by her own experience homeschooling her five children.

Second-generation Unificationist and Maryland-resident Jonathan Oben takes notes during the sermon.

“And I realized that the greatest learning took place when the kids were having fun. So, in a way, when we think about re-branding our church or repositioning our concepts from what it was, to what it needs to be, from that of denial to that of fulfillment – laughter, fun, excitement and interactive relationships, are crucial to the work that we need to do in terms of building healthy families, communities and world.”

Comments from Participants

The D.C. youth-ministry staff, led by Kaeleigh and David Moffitt, greeted each mother with a flower and well wishes as the attendees filtered into Arlington Ballroom through a festively balloon-decorated hallway. Local pastors Judie Lejeune and Ernest Patton from Northern Virginia, Akira Ota from Norfolk, Virginia, Adrien Bayo from Richmond, Virginia, Zagery Oliver from Washington, D.C. and Matthew Goldberg from Maryland joined in the ushering as well.

“Washington D.C. always looks forward to having Lovin’ Life live, and this weekend was no exception!” said Kaeleigh Moffit. She added: “We were especially excited and grateful to have our Senior Pastor, Rev. In Jin Moon, give the sermon. We got it all! There was so much buzz and excitement surrounding this event because we love being able to spend time with Jin Sung Nim and meet the band members we see on the screen every week. In Jin Nim’s sermon this Sunday was a call to action for our unity as a district, and I think the message was loud and clear. Ballroom dancing was wonderful after service, and it was especially memorable to see the sons dancing with their mothers on Mother’s Day. It was a great chance to spend Mother’s Day together as a community! Thank you to In Jin Nim and Lovin’ Life!”

“I was really inspired that people were taking the second Boost Sunday to heart and bringing their friends and guests,” said Rev. In Jin Moon in an interview with the UC Newsletter. “That’s what it’s really about – stressing the unity and teamwork of the district pastors and brothers and sisters around the nation. Many of the district pastors have not spoken or given sermons for quite some time, but all of them who have spoken have taken up the challenge, done their best and made me proud.

“I really encourage the Washington, D.C. communities, of which there are three, to build a united ministry. Even if you have to drive long distances to attend Sunday service, it’s worth it because you’re doing it for your kids. It’s an investment that you make for them and your community. This is what I’m talking about when I say united ministry – we need to cooperate with each other and build it together. If everyone just sits around in their living room, then nothing will be done. The Boost Sunday that we had this past weekend should be the kind of a Sunday service we have every week in Washington, D.C. If you invest, you’ll see results. Results come with investment – not the other way around.”

Jin Soon Stephens, the band leader of District 1’s Lovin’ Life band and a staff member of the youth- ministry team, said, “It’s always such a pleasure to have Lovin’ Life come to our district, live! It was even more of an honor to have In Jin Nim as the speaker after not seeing her for so long! When I heard In Jin Nim was going to speak for the Service in D.C., I was surprised to think that she would speak in our district first after so long before speaking at the Manhattan Center. It definitely made our community feel very loved. It was the best Mother’s Day gift for many of our mothers, I could tell.

“The fact that it was Mother’s Day as a Boost Sunday made it a little tough to find guests to bring, but still the room was filled! To have a live service as a Boost Sunday in D.C. was truly a great idea though, because it’s easier to get new guests excited about Lovin’ Life when they see it live first, and then watch a satellite service after.”

The post-sermon video announcements included highlights of the local third, annual Women’s Federation for World Peace “Purity Essay” contest awards ceremony, increased Divine-Principle education activities, and the launching of new small groups such as the Chesapeake “Adventure Sailing” group. Rev. Patra

Kidwell, founder and senior pastor of God’s Ministry International from Bowie, Maryland offered the benediction prayer.

National Youth Pastor Jaga Gavin was one of the many staff who traveled from Headquarters in New York City to attend Sunday service in Washington D.C.

After a luncheon reception, Ariana Moon, daughter of Rev. In Jin Moon, together with members of the Generation Peace Academy (GPA) taught a ballroom-dance lesson in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Crystal Gateway Hotel.

Emerson Lykes, the “Dave Hunter” or MC of Lovin’ Life Ministries in DC, MD and VA said: “It was so much fun greeting people at the entrance and seeing so many new faces and familiar faces and faces I haven’t seen in a long time! And when I saw In Jin Nim walk on stage, I couldn’t contain my excitement – it brought me so much joy. Her message was amazing. My favorite part was when she said the best way to teach is through fun, excitement and laughter. I’m so grateful In Jin Nim spent her Mother’s day here in D.C. with us. Overall it was a wonderful day and I can’t wait till Lovin’ Life returns! Thank you, In Jin Nim!”

Maryland-resident and GPA-graduate Liana Gaarder wrote the following in an email to the UC Newsletter: “Sunday service was like a love bomb dropped right on top of our community! After three months without hearing from our National Mama, her return to the podium on Mother’s Day right here in our MD-DC-VA community couldn’t have been more special. I felt a strong sense of unity as we welcomed Rev. In Jin Moon back to the podium. Not only was our community there in the crowd, but among us were the many faces of the headquarters community as well as members of GPA, who flocked down to DC to take part in this special day.”

Rev. Patra Kidwell, founder and senior pastor of God’s Ministry International offered the benediction prayer.

Gaarder went to write: “The MD-DC-VA young adults travel up to New York once a month to experience the heart of Lovin’ Life Ministries through spending time with Rev. In Jin Moon’s family and attending Sunday service. This weekend was a pleasant surprise, as the tables were turned and Lovin’ Life Ministries came to us this time. Several of us – such as Teresa Ferrete, Julie Randolph, Emerson Lykes, and myself – have had the opportunity to fall in love with ballroom dancing while living at headquarters, and I feel like this Sunday was a breakthrough in the development of our local ballroom ministry because several Blessed Children approached me afterward expressing enthusiasm about their experience participating in ballroom dancing after service. For example, Triton Marks from Virginia, said, ‘Before, to me, ballroom was just something that I taught myself to deal with. But now I actually enjoy it!’”