BFM and Evangelism Memo: Cosmic Blessing 2017! — De Geode · Following the Stories of Real People

United together, centered on our Heavenly Parent and True Parents, we were able to bring a great victory at Madison Square Garden. What took place was truly awe-inspiring, and brought great joy to our Heavenly Parent and True Parents. It could not have been possible without each person’s contribution. Thank you!

Many are asking, ‘What’s next?’ There are as many answers to this question, as there are people who were inspired by what they experienced at Madison Square Garden. The possibilities are endless, and there is no need to limit ourselves. That being said, as Tribal Messiahs, each of us has the opportunity to take the next step to share the Marriage Blessing. During her speech at Madison Square Garden, True Mother expressed that:

“Fallen humankind cannot return to God. They need to receive engrafting by the True Parents who among all human beings, achieved victory. That is the Blessing, which the Family Federation offers. When this nation and the world is overflowing with these Blessed Families, God’s dream, humankind’s hope, True Parents’ hope, and the one human family’s hope can become reality…

A world of genuine freedom, equality, peace, unity, and happiness is not far off. When all of you gathered here today become one with True Parents and practice living for the sake of others with true love toward those around you—your tribe, your church and your nation—we can build a united world with our own hands.”

Our beloved True Mother will be directly officiating the Hyojeong Cosmic Blessing Ceremony on September 7, 2017 (Korea time). The ceremony will take place in conjunction with the Fifth Anniversary of True Father’s Ascension. Communities throughout the USA are encouraged to host a Marriage Blessing Ceremony on the evening of Wednesday, September 6. Click here for more information on hosting a ceremony. All matched couples and married couples that have not yet received the Marriage Blessing are invited to attend this Cosmic Blessing officiated by True Mother either in Korea or in the USA.

All matched couples planning to attend the Blessing Ceremony must complete the Online Application prior to Sunday, July 30. Married Couple Registration will be open up until the time of the Blessing. An info sheet with requirements for participating couples is attached.

For more information about the 2017 Hyojeong Cosmic Blessing, please visit bfm.familyfed,org/cosmicblessing2017/. In addition, attached is an info sheet with requirements for participating couples.

This is a great opportunity for us to invite any married couple (friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers,

etc.) to receive the Marriage Blessing from True Parents. In response to questions from Tribal Messiahs and pastors, we have created a Sharing the Blessing Frequently Asked Questions page on Heavenlytribe,org. Please take a look, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions.

You can introduce the Marriage Blessing and find Tribal Messiah resources using the following:

Blessing Outreach Materials: Learn more and purchase the More Than a Marriage brochure, a 5-Step explanation brochure, and customizable Blessing invitation card.

Flyer: Download Invitation - Invitational flyer that you can customize with information about your local ceremony.

Website: blessingamerica,org/learn-more/ - Newcomer friendly website designed to introduce the Marriage Blessing.

Ceremony Planning: Open Resources - Helpful resources to host a Marriage Blessing Ceremony in your community. Passcode: ministryleader

We wish you the very best in your preparations for this upcoming Marriage Blessing! The national Blessing & Family Ministry team can be contacted at bfmadmin@ unification,org to answer any questions regarding the 2017 Hyojeong Cosmic Blessing. For Tribal Messiah related questions, please contact the Witnessing and Education Ministry team at evangelism@ unification,org.

Dr. Michael Balcomb President

Crescentia DeGoede Director, Blessing & Family Ministry

Demian Dunkley Director, Witnessing & Education Ministry

B) For Married Couples

All married couples must complete the following requirements prior to participating in a Blessing Ceremony:

1. Education Married couples that plan to attend the Cosmic Blessing (in Korea or in the USA) should have a basic understanding of the value of the Marriage Blessing, role of True Parents, the significance of becoming a Blessed Couple, and the change of blood lineage process.

2. Blessing Ceremony Registration & Blessing Offering All married couples that plan to receive the Blessing (in Korea or in US) must complete the online Blessing Ceremony Registration. Registrants have the option to give a Blessing Offering at the registration. No set amount is required, but all registrants are encouraged to make an offering. Local Blessing Ceremony hosts are welcome to charge a participation fee for participating married couples, as they see fit. There is a participation fee of $1500 per married couple participating in the ceremony and program in Korea. This fee covers all expenses in Korea.

Click here to access the registration form on BlessingAmerica.org

O N E F A M I L Y U N D E R G O D

481 8th Ave. Box A-12, New York, NY 10001 | t: 212.997.0050 | f: 212.997.0051 | www.familyfed.org

BLESSING ONE MILLION AMERICANS IN MARRIAGE TRUE LOVE COMMITMENT • We rededicate our marriage to God, our Heavenly Parent, centered on True Love. • We will be faithful in our marriage forever (no divorce or adultery). • We will raise our children to maintain sexual purity before marriage (no pre-marital sex). • We support the work of FFWPU and Rev. and Mrs. Moon who are establishing the standard of True Parents by working beyond races and religions to unite all people into God’s Family.

Husband Wife Date

PERSONAL INFORMATION Husband Date of Birth

Wife Date of Birth

Marital Religious Single Married Divorced Widowed Status Affiliation

Children Names Date of Birth Purity Pledge

CONTACT INFORMATION Husband Address Email Husband City Cell Wife State Zip Email Wife Alternate Cell Phone

CERTIFICATION (OFFICIAL) Introduced Donation by

Officiator Husband Officiator Wife Date

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) was inaugurated in 1985 by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon to establish world peace through ideal families. Blessing America is an official project of FFWPU. Familyfed.org • BlessingAmerica.org

Blessed Family Certificate TRUE FAMILY COMMITMENTS 1. As a mature man and woman, we pledge that we will 3. We pledge that as true parents we will raise our become an eternal husband and wife, consummating children to live up to God’s will, and educate them to the ideal of God’s creation with absolute fidelity. be sexually abstinent until marriage.

2. We pledge that we will inherit and maintain the 4. We pledge that we will support all families to tradition of family unity and pass this tradition uplift these ideal, beyond race, religion and nation, on to the future generations of our family and all by participating in the Blessing of Marriage, helping humankind. create the Kingdom of God on Earth and in Heaven.

Husband’s Signature Wife’s Signature

Officiating Couple Date

Blessed Family Certificate PURITY PLEDGE 1. I sincerely promise to develop my relationship 3. I commit to growing and deepening my relationship with God and my life of faith through prayer and by with my parents by practicing healthy and open how I choose to live my daily life. communication.

2. I will strive to maintain my sexual purity by abstaining 4. I will seek out ways to serve my local church and from sex and sexual acts until marriage and to live my wider community with my unique passions and talents. life for the sake of others, working on my character every day so I can one day become someone’s one true love and receive God’s Blessing in marriage.

Participant’s Signature Officiating Couple

BLESSING ONE MILLION AMERICANS IN MARRIAGE

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE MARRIAGE BLESSING CEREMONY? It is a totally new initiative by Rev. and Mrs. Moon, who are establishing the standard of True Parents by working beyond races and religions to unite all people into God’s family. The Marriage Blessing is a cleansing of past mistakes and an opportunity to make a new commitment in marriage as a blessed family. It starts with the Holy Wine Ceremony.

WHAT IS THE HOLY WINE? The Holy Wine is made up of 21 ingredients representing all things. It has ingredients that symbolize the love of parents, the earth, the seas, and heaven. The Holy Wine contains all the essential elements that stand for purity. More importantly, we are able to receive this because of the victorious foundation of peace made by True Parents. This makes it possible for humankind to cut off from the original and ancestral sins. By drinking the Holy Wine, we are reborn spiritually and physically.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOLY WINE CEREMONY? • To understand the Holy Wine in the context of history, the condition to become the first Israel is circumcision, and the condition to become the second Israel is baptism. The condition to become the third Israel is the Holy Wine Ceremony. • The original ancestors, who we refer to as Adam and Eve, were supposed to become husband and wife with God’s love in their hearts, but the order of love was reversed, and they consummated their marriage with selfish love. The Holy Wine Ceremony restores the order of love to its original state. • Adam and Eve’s mistake was passed down to us through the blood lineage. This ceremony signifies a rebirth that reverses that mistake. The woman goes through a process of being restored first, then she gives birth to the man. Together, husband and wife are engrafted onto the original blood lineage of God.

1. HOLY WINE CEREMONY A. Taking the Holy Wine • The wife should stand to the right side of her husband.

Now we will offer you the Holy Wine. First the bride drinks half the cup, then offers the remaining wine to her husband. When you receive the cup, please hold it with two hands, and offer a small bow with a humble heart. We will now start the ceremony with a prayer.

• . Opening Prayer • Couple offers bow to Officiators • Attendant offers Holy Wine to Officiator Wife, she gives to Officiator Husband. • Officiator Husband gives wine to (representative) bride. Brides bow as they receive with two hands (attendants can give wine to other brides). • Brides drink half the wine, then give to husband. Husband bows as he receives with two hands, then drinks remaining wine. Returns empty cup to bride while bowing. Bride bows as she receives empty cup, then gives cup to Officator Husband (or attendant) with a bow. • Officiator Husband gives empty cup back to Officator Wife.

B. Sanctification Prayer Now we will offer a sanctification prayer.

• Place hands in proper position (refer to graph below) • Officiators Pray: “God please accept this couple (these couples) standing in the position of Adam and Eve before the fall.”

2. BLESSING CEREMONY Now, after the Holy Wine Ceremony, you stand in the position before the fall. (If you are single, it is an opportunity to keep your purity and prepare for your heart and character for married life in the future.)

• The husband should now stand to the right side of his wife.

As a married couple, the Blessing Ceremony confirms an eternal bond between you as husband and wife, and commitment to true love and fidelity in your family.

A. Holy Water Ceremony We will now sprinkle holy water on you.

• Officiators Sprinkle Holy Water over couples

B. Blessing Vows Now we want to offer you the opportunity to make a new commitment in your relationship. If you agree, please respond “Yes” to the vows we are about to read to you.

Vow Options: One Vow 1. As families who must realize the Heavenly Parent’s ideal of creation, do you promise to become eternal couples who will inherit the tradition established by the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind and to perfect ideal families who will strive to realize Cheon Il Guk? Four Vows 1. Do you, as a mature man and woman who are to consummate the ideal of creation of God, pledge in front of God and True Parents to become an eternal husband and wife? 2. Do you pledge to become true parents, raise your children to live up to the will of God, and educate them to become responsible leaders in front of the entire Unification Family, all humankind, and Almighty God? 3. Do you pledge that, centered upon True Parents, you will inherit the tradition of living for the sake of others, and pass this proud tradition down to future generations and to humankind? 4. Do you pledge that, centering upon the ideal of creation, you will inherit the will of God and True Parents, love the people of the world as God and True Parents do, and ultimately consummate an ideal family which is the building block of the Kingdom of God on earth and in heaven?

C. Benediction (Blessing Prayer) We will now complete the Blessing Ceremony with a benediction prayer and proclamation of your Blessing.

• Officators with outstretched arms pray: “Dear God our Heavenly Parent, we are offering this couple (these couples) to you. We ask that through this ceremony we are removing the accusation of satan from their blood lineage, and engrafting them into God’s family. Heavenly Parent, please accept them as blessed families, and embrace them as your pure children.”

Pronouncement “I hereby declare, on this [today’s full date] , before God, True Parents, and Heaven and Earth, that the families who are attending this Marriage Blessing Ceremony, sponsored by the Family Federation of World Peace and Unification, over which we, [Officiators’ Couple Name] are presiding, have now received the Blessing.”

3. CHASTENING CEREMONY Finally today, we invite you to participate in the Chastening Ceremony. This is an opportunity to cut from any physical abuse, or misuse of love from the past. You may have hurt each other, or been hurt by others, either way, this ceremony will offer you a new beginning.

1. Couple bows to Officiators 2. Bridegrooms strike the bride’s buttocks first, three times 3. Bride then strikes the Bridegroom’s buttocks three times 4. Couple bows to each other.

You are now purified and blessed in marriage. Congratulations!

Tip: It is a good idea to ask if there are others whom they know that they would like to share the Marriage Blessing with.

40-DAY REDEDICATION Your couple can now make a totally new start. You have received a Blessing and forgiveness of sin. In order to start this new chapter in your life, we invite you to participate in a 40-Day Rededication of your marriage. During this period of 40-Days, you will not have sex. Instead, you will re-learn how love each other as God’s children. You can use this time to meditate and pray how to bring God deeper into your own heart as God’s son and daughter. We encourage you to keep a journal if you like, and keep track of any reflections or experiences that you experience. After 40-days you will come back together again as husband and wife to (re)consummate your marriage with this new blessing. Would you like that?

3-DAY CEREMONY After completion of the 40-Day Rededication period, you will come back together as husband and wife through the 3-Day Ceremony. This is a precious experience in which you completely eradicate any residue of fallen, selfish love, and re-position your relationship with the Heavenly Parent, as God’s true son and daughter, and with each other as true husband and wife. Couples must time their 3-Day Ceremony so as not to conceive, they may need to wait a few extra days before starting this ceremony. Please read instructions on how to conduct the 3-Day Ceremony.

Insert Text Here

BLESSING ONE MILLION AMERICANS IN MARRIAGE BLESSINGAMERICA.ORG

Love God. 1 Inherit your divine value as a child of God.

Love Family. 2 Create a new tradition of true love and fidelity in marriage and your family.

Join the movement. 3 Save America. Work together with other families to create a community of peace.

BLESSING ONE MILLION AMERICANS IN MARRIAGE

CERTIFIED BLESSING OFFICIATORS

BLESSING ONE MILLION AMERICANS IN MARRIAGE