The 5th European Parents’ Matching Convocation April 3rd-5th 2010

This was another opportunity for parents to learn how to go about the responsibility of matching their adult children, and also to ‘network’, meeting other parents to share fellowship, as well as perhaps receive Heaven’s guidance to find the ‘right family’. About 40% of participants came simply to observe and learn, rather than to present their children. This way they were able to gain confidence before starting the process of matching their children.

Presentations from the Staff:

U.S. BFD Director Phillip Schanker shared his wisdom from the experience of matching his 4 children and surprised us by playing a wonderful base line to accompany our singing.

Our Eu-BFD Chairman Rainer Fuchs Geros Kunkel explains his observations of True presenting the Question Box. Father’s work of setting up the Cheon Il Guk standard for the Blessing over the past 5 years.

Tessa Thonett introduces the Parents’ Support Team and presents her guidance ……………………..and her husband, Markus is the MC for the program.

BFD Rep. from Sweden Liliana Karlsson was the Co-MC. She has now joined the Parents’ Support Team to also help parents more individually throughout the year.

Morning services were presented by Lisa Janssen and Ashley Crosthwaite. Lisa also gave a moving talk about the “Treasures of Heaven” Ministry and how they fit into our tradition of matching too. (Please refer to the report of st rd their first European Meeting which was held just before the Convocation April 1 -3 2010)

101 Participants Rainer explains the Principles behind the Blessing as well as sharing the wisdom of his own experience

“It was a wonderful environment to learn all the most important points about matching our children.” Participant’s comment

Chieko Fuchs listens intently

Orlande Schenk shares her story of being matched by her parents. She is part of the organizing staff and web-master of the Eu-BFD web site. ( www.bfdeu.org )

Ellen van Kampen shared (with delightful humour) how she was enabled to find a spouse for her daughter during and after the 1st Convocation 2 years ago. She returned this time to help the search for more of her children.

Added bonuses this time were a short talk from Susan Crosthwaite to encourage parents of Jacob Gen. candidates to come forward and apply for matching under the ‘Improved System for 1st Gen. Matching’, and opportunities to receive counseling from our professional counselors and therapists on the BFD staff – Ashley and Susan Crosthwaite, and Lubelia Palfi.

Networking In between presentations there is time for formal and informal networking – meeting with one another and learning about one another’s children.

BC’s 25 years and older are welcome to come with their parents.

Before the staff departed we held a 4 hour reflection meeting, to strengthen our ties and cooperation with Phillip Schanker and USA BFD, as well as to plan to implement some improved ideas, such as training for group facilitators so we can double the amount of formal group meetings where participants can introduce themselves and their children more easily to those they don’t know well, and giving more time for networking in future convocations.

It’s hard to imagine a more warm-hearted gathering of families united around the purpose of bequeathing this sacred tradition to our children. A magically uplifting time.